Perils of the Northern Sea:

Navigating the treacherous waters of the Northern Sea is a perilous endeavor, with icy winds, sudden storms, unpredictable currents, and unexplained phenomena posing constant threats. Yet, amidst these challenges, there exists one menace that strikes terror into the hearts of every fisherman, sailor, and ship's captain daring to brave these waters—the Islidruk or "Iceborn" as they are often called.

Origin and Dreaded Raiders:

Emerging from the Great Ice Shelf and the iceberg-filled seas surrounding it, the Islidruk, an ancient and forgotten species of Orc, are shrouded in legend and mystery to scholars and inhabitants beyond the Northern and Southern Islands and the coast of the Great Ice Shelves to the North and the South. To the sailors and whalers of Dhelcrist, however, the Islidruk are a grim reality, inhuman marauders who descend upon ships in the dead of night, leaving blood-splattered decks and ghost ships in their wake.

Ghost ships, found stripped of value, blood staining the decks, and devoid of living souls, are attributed to the nefarious deeds of the Islidruk. Such vessels are deemed cursed, with even the most daring salvagers choosing to burn the hulks rather than risk recovery. More terrifying than their nocturnal raids are the Necroilus, ghastly ships fashioned from the corpses of sea serpents, controlled by dark magic and manipulated as warships and floating habitats.

Seafaring Nomads and Pillagers:

The Islidruk are an enigmatic race that thrives at sea, residing onboard their macabre sea serpent ships. Rarely making landfall, they emerge only to raid, pillage, and slaughter coastal communities. Uninterested in trade or negotiation, the Islidruk are driven solely by their impulse to capture, consume, and repurpose every part of any living being they encounter. Necromancy serves as the linchpin of their society, providing magic and spiritual beliefs centered around the reuse of all things, leaving nothing to waste.

As pirates, Islidruk prize possessions, especially those not derived from the dead, such as metal weapons, gold, and jewels. Metal objects serve as status symbols, with magic weapons and items holding even greater value. The Dhelcrist Navy actively seeks and destroys Islidruk and their Necroilus vessels on sight, acknowledging the menace they pose. Despite rumors dismissed by some, the Dhelcristians, North Folk, Wolfen, and scholars believe in the Islidruk's existence and their potential for imminent attacks.

Prowling the northernmost waters around the Great Ice Shelves, the Islidruk occasionally venture to strike at ships and coastal towns of Dhelcrist, the Northern Islands, The Northern Coast of the Elven lands as well as in the Southern oceans and Southern Islands.

Despite their seemingly chaotic existence, the Islidruk possess a militaristic and hierarchical culture. Organized into first Tribes, then Clans, then tiers among the Males and finally tiers among the females. They exhibit savage, brutal, and primal behavior, yet maintain bizarre forms of social behavior and cooperation. A rigid chain of command, often indistinguishable through acts of barbarism, places absolute loyalty toward each other, especially to the Viprul Rakharn (Serpent Captain) then the Skar`mok Rakharn (Clan Captain). Disobedience results in death, emphasizing their reverence for power and ferocity. The Iceborn place the Islidruk Nekrulgash (Necromancer) Just below that of the Viprul Rakharn.

Seafaring Lifestyle and Ruthless Tactics:

Islidruk lead lives entirely at sea, with minimal contact with dry land. Their forays ashore involve sacking coastal villages, capturing humanoids, livestock, or monsters for slavery or consumption. After their raids, the Islidruk leave vessels or villages eerily untouched, creating an atmosphere of terror and mystery.

In their shipboard quarters within Necroilus serpent ships, skeletal remains are transformed into tools and weapons, and organs are preserved for later use, showcasing their ruthlessness and disdain for traditional repairs. Islidruk technology revolves around non-consumable parts scavenged from the dead—bones, teeth, blood, guts, sinew, and hides of humanoids, sea serpents, monsters, and animals.

Clothing and footwear are crafted from animal and humanoid skins, using bone needles and viscera threads. In battle, Islidruk favor close combat, exhibiting fearlessness and fighting to the death, viewing death as a contribution to the tribe.

Dhelcrist's Silent War:

Unofficially, Dhelcrist has been at war with the Islidruk for at least the last 500 years, with sagas recounting battles against a mysterious "Horde" that arrives by sea to conquer and slaughter the people of the North. While the name Islidruk is never explicitly used, the descriptions align with the terrifying reputation of these marauders.

The Dhelcrist Navy actively combats Islidruk vessels, responding to reported sightings with vigilance, and often arriving too late to prevent the devastation left in the wake of their raids. Despite being considered mythical by some, Dhelcrist acknowledges the Islidruk's existence. Blood-splattered ghost ships are undeniable proof of their deadly presence, leaving an indelible mark on the collective consciousness of sailors, soldiers, scholars, and holy men. While oral traditions and sagas may lack archaeological evidence, the fear of an Islidruk attack looms large, with Dhelcrist maintaining a perpetual state of alert against these formidable adversaries.

Physical Appearance and Adornments:

Islidruk males boast muscular frames and snouts, replacing human-like noses, creating an intimidating presence. Their bodies, clad in rubbery, leathery seal- or whale-like skin, exhibit shades of white or whitish-grey with hints of green and a touch of pink. Adorned with pierced noses, ears, and faces embellished with bone jewelry, teeth, tusks, and skulls, their attire is minimal, featuring furs, animal hides, and bones for protection and adornment.

Being Undead, Islidruk Nekrulgash have superior strength, endurance, and speed. Their natural swimming abilities, breath-holding capabilities, depth tolerance, night vision, and keen sense of smell contribute to their prowess. They are impervious to normal cold, immune to disease, and capable of consuming raw flesh without ill effects.

Social Structure and Warrior Way of Life:

Islidruk society, though appearing chaotic, adheres to a militaristic and hierarchical structure. The tribes, despite their brutal behavior, display a unique form of social cooperation. Master sailors navigating perilous oceans, they exhibit unwavering loyalty to their crew. The Islidruk warrior's way of life involves a strict code of conduct that, although brutal, establishes order within their chaotic existence.

Tribes excel in raiding and conquest, showcasing their prowess as seafaring nomads. This way of life is no different for the Islidruk Nekrulgash who are regarded with hatred, fear, and downright loathing by all other races. Like the true Necromancers who meddle with the dead and are condemned by virtually all religions and outlawed by most states, they are shunned by decent folk everywhere, and are the subject of violent abuse and persecutions by virtually every other mage. The Islidruk Nekrulgash even more so because their power comes directly from a source of evil that is universally feared and loathed.

Normal or true Necromancers, if that is what they can be considered as, are more akin to Mages. They deal with death sure, but it is a magic that they have learned through study.The enigmatic Islidruk Nekrulgash, the twisted priests of the Iceborn society, however, trace their macabre powers to the dark and ancient forces known as the Old Ones, with Netosa being the primary source of their sinister magic. Netosa, an eldritch entity shrouded in malevolence, serves as a patron to these necromantic practitioners, bestowing upon them the gifts of unlife and mastery over the forces of death.

The Unveiling of Unlife:

Islidruk Nekrulgash come into existence through a profane ritual that takes place in the shadowy sanctums of the Iceborn. The process begins with the selection of an unborn Islidruk child, chosen through an eerie and mysterious divination ceremony conducted by the reigning Viprul Rakharn, who is himself a Necromancer. Once identified, the child is Still-born, it's body marked and its destiny irrevocably tied to the service of Netosa.

Upon the eve of their birth, these chosen infants are subjected to a ritual of unspeakable darkness. In the blackened halls of the Iceborn's cavernous lairs, surrounded by the eerie glow of bioluminescent fungi, the ritual unfolds. Chants in a guttural language, a twisted hymn to the Old Ones, resonate through the chamber as the infant is anointed with sacred oils, ichors, and dark substances.

As the ritual reaches its zenith, the malevolent power of Netosa descends upon the child, suffusing it with an unnatural unlife. The child undergoes a grotesque metamorphosis, emerging from the ritual chamber as a fully grown Islidruk Nekrulgash. This accelerated transformation defies the laws of nature, turning the innocent into a necromantic agent of darkness overnight.

Devotion and Vile Allegiance:

The newly born Islidruk Nekrulgash, now fully cognizant and physically mature, awakens with an unwavering sense of devotion to Netosa. Their minds are imprinted with the insidious teachings of the Old One, and their souls are bound in an unholy pact. The Islidruk Nekrulgash exists not as an individual but as an extension of Netosa's will, a living vessel for the perpetuation of death and decay.

Driven by a fanatical loyalty, Islidruk Nekrulgash devote their existence to the service of Netosa and the broader Iceborn society. They become the spiritual guides, dark priests, and harbingers of doom among their kind. While the Viprul Rakharn holds the highest secular authority, the Islidruk Nekrulgash wield considerable influence in matters of faith, magic, and the supernatural.

The Dark Power Within:

Netosa's foul influence manifests in the Islidruk Nekrulgash through their mastery of necromancy, a sinister magic deeply intertwined with death and decay. These unholy priests possess the ability to commune with the spirits of the deceased, animate corpses, and manipulate the forces of the afterlife. Through their connection to Netosa, Islidruk Nekrulgash channel dark energies to sow terror and death in the wake of their raids.

As second in power only to the Viprul Rakharn, Islidruk Nekrulgash play a pivotal role in shaping the Iceborn's spiritual and magical practices. Their unholy rites, conducted in hidden chambers adorned with bone and adorned with the trinkets of death, serve to reinforce the Iceborn's commitment to their vile deity.

Persecution and Power Struggles:

While revered within Iceborn society, Islidruk Nekrulgash face vehement persecution beyond their insular community. The very nature of their powers, drawn from the malevolent Old Ones, makes them pariahs in the eyes of other races. Many view them with a mixture of fear, revulsion, and superstition.

Internally, power struggles and rivalries can erupt among the Islidruk Nekrulgash themselves. Ambitious individuals may seek to exploit the mystical currents flowing from Netosa for personal gain or challenge the authority of the Viprul Rakharn. Such internal conflicts add another layer of intrigue and danger to the already volatile Iceborn society.

In the relentless pursuit of their dark arts, Islidruk Nekrulgash navigate a treacherous path, torn between their allegiance to Netosa, the hierarchy of the Iceborn, and the challenges posed by the hostile world beyond the frigid waters they call home.

Since Necromantic magic frequently requires the manipulation, enslavement, torture, and murder of living beings, and since many of the rituals are repulsive and involve working with the remains of the dead, they are almost certain to carry the remains of the dead, such as the bones of skeletons and preserved claws, arms, hooves, wings, etc. These items are likely to be carried in a large backpack or sack.

Extremely rare and/or valuable items, such as the claw of a sea serpent, may be concealed, but always be at the Nekrulgash's side. They wear the bones and shriveled remains of creatures as jewelry, belts, necklaces, weapons, easy-to-grab components, and so on. Some Nekrulgash even use an entourage of skeletons and zombies as animated servants and protectors, with additional limbs and components carried in trunks, crates or sacks. The lair of a Nekrulgash, especially for high-level characters, will be inhabited by zombies, mummies, and animated dead who function as guards and servants.

Additional scores of skeletons and corpses will be strategically placed throughout the lair, ready to be animated should the need arise. The Nekrulgash may also enslave or employ low-level demons, monsters, and vampires.

Hatred and Alliances:

Harboring intense hatred for most races, Islidruk hold particular disdain for humans, elves, titans, dwarves, and canine races. Even creatures like dolphins, whales, Ice Bearmen, Merrows, and Faerie Folk are met with aversion. Rarely forming alliances outside their kind, they occasionally collaborate with intelligent undead, vampires, powerful Nekrulgashs, dark gods, and select demons if it aligns with their agenda or furthers the suffering of their despised enemies.

Favorite Weapons and Enchantments:

Islidruk favor bone knives, clubs, harpoons, tridents, and spears, often enchanted to match or surpass the effectiveness of stone or steel weapons. These weapons are an extension of their brutal nature, tailored for the exigencies of their seafaring, warrior lifestyle.

NOTE:

Nekrulgash Abilities:

The most terrifying and fundamental power of Nekrulgash are their abilities to animate and control the dead. This macabre power has three different manifestations: The union transformation, the augmentation/additional appendages and the animate/control dead.

1. Union with the Dead. This power enables the Nekrulgash's own hands or feet to be transformed into the claws of an animal. The transformation is temporary and is accomplished by tying the claw of an animal or monster (it can be skeletal or recently slain and severed) onto the appendage that is to be affected. It also requires muttering a spell incantation known only to those of the Nekrulgash O.C.C. The hand and/or forearm is then transformed into a clawed appendage that looks exactly like that of the creature, as well as giving the sorcerer the creature's combat bonuses and/or abilities (as listed under the appendage type, below).
   P.P.E. Cost: Varies; see descriptions of the various types of appendages, below.
   Range: Self only at levels 1-4, others by touch after 4th level. The animal claw must be tied to the body. At fifth level, the Nekrulgash can perform this transformation on others (same process and conditions), but the duration is half.
   Duration: 10 minutes per level of the Nekrulgash. The transformed limb(s) return to normal when the duration of the magic has elapsed, or when the mage is killed or rendered unconscious. The Nekrulgash can cancel the magic at any time. The entire incantation and the tying of the limbs to the subject takes one full melee round.
   Limitations: The union and transformation of the dead works only on the living. It cannot be used to transform the limbs of dead creatures.
   Notes: The limb(s) is always proportional to the size of the Nekrulgash, never tiny or over-sized. One or both human hands can be transformed. Any combination of limbs can be used, such as the claw of a tiger on the right hand, the claw of an eagle on the left, a pair of horse hooves for feet and the wings of a bat attached to the back. Each transformed appendage adds to the Nekrulgash's frightening visage and power (+1 to Horror Factor per each pair of inhuman limbs).
   Union of the Dead combat bonuses and abilities via type of limb:
   • Tentacle: P.P.E. Cost: 10. Includes the octopus, squid and a variety of monsters. +1 to strike, +20 to climb using suction cups, +4 to damage, and can pin or entangle an opponent.
   • Rodent claws/feet: P.P.E. Cost: 10. Including rats, mice, squirrels, rabbits, and other similar, small animals provide bonuses of +1 to strike and parry, +2 to damage, and +10% to Climb. The claws have an opposable thumb and fingers so tools and weapons can be used; roughly equal to human hands.
   • Cat and other feline claws: P.P.E. Cost: 20. +2 to strike and parry, +8 to damage, +20% to Climb and +10% to Prowl. The claws are retractable, but have no opposable thumb, making it impossible to grasp and use weapons or tools.
   • Canine claws (do not make good humanoid hands): P.P.E. Cost: 10. +1 to parry, and +4 to damage, but has no opposable thumb, making it impossible to grasp or use weapons or tools.
   • Bear claws, badger, wolverine and similar large claws: P.P.E. Cost: 15. +1 to strike and +1 to parry, +10 to damage, and +5% to Climb. The claw is excellent for digging but has no opposable thumb, making it impossible to grasp or use weapons or tools.
   • Ice Bear or Ice Bearman claws: P.P.E. Cost: 25. +1 to strike and +1 to parry, +11 to damage, +5% to Climb, +10% to Swim, and makes the Nekrulgash resistant to cold (half damage, magic cold does full). The claw of a Bearman has an opposable thumb, making it possible to grasp and use weapons or tools.
   • Bird claws/talons: P.P.E. Cost: 15. +1 to strike and parry, +8 to damage. The claws can grasp tools and use weapons at -1 to strike or parry. When using modern or complicated devices there is a skill penalty of -20%.
   • Sea Serpent claws: P.P.E. Cost: 25. +2 to strike, +12 to damage, +20% to Swimming skill, and makes the Nekrulgash able to breathe underwater and resistant to cold (half damage, magic cold does full). The claws can grasp tools and use weapons at -1 to strike or parry. When using modern or complicated devices there is a skill penalty of -15%.
   • Dragon claws and claws from other magical or supernatural creatures: P.P.E. Cost: 50; Dragon claws (any kind) are +1 to strike, +1 to parry, inflict 6D6 damage, make the Nekrulgash impervious to fire, and gives the character an extra physical S.D.C. of 150 from hatchlings, 300 from adult dragons and 600 from ancient ones! The claws from other creatures of magic and supernatural monsters, including the Manticore, Sphinx, Za, Ghouls, Gargoyles and other so-called demons and others inflict 4D6 damage, and provide the Nekrulgash with an extra 80 S.D.C.; no strike or parry bonuses. P.P.E. Cost: 35.
   • The claws from a powerful, but non-supernatural creature, like the Melech and Peryton, inflict 4D6 damage; no other combat bonuses. P.P.E. Cost: 20.
     Hooves, hands and claws can be attached to and transform the feet and legs.
   • Hooves of any kind, including horse, ox, cow, deer, etc., add +20 to the character's speed attribute and enables him to leap 10 feet (3 m) high or lengthwise. P.P.E. Cost: 15.
   • Rhinoceros or Elephant feet: P.P.E. Cost: 20. +10 to the character's normal speed attribute but can also run for a short period of 30 seconds (two melee rounds) at +40. Kick or stomp attacks inflict 4D6 damage.
   • Ki-Lin hooves: P.P.E. Cost: 25. +30 to the speed attribute and can leap 10 feet (3 m) high or lengthwise and kick attacks inflict 4D6 damage.
   • Unicorn hooves: P.P.E. Cost: 30. +40 to the speed attribute and can leap 20 feet (6 m) high or lengthwise and kick attacks inflict 5D6 damage.
   • Dragon feet/claws: P.P.E. Cost: 30. +20 to the speed attribute and can leap 20 feet (6 m) high or lengthwise and kick attacks inflict 1D4x10 damage.
   • Monkey or ape (or humanoid) hands: P.P.E. Cost: 15. +20 to climb, +5% to acrobatics, plus the feet are equivalent to hands and can grasp and use weapons, tools and devices. However, the character's normal running speed is reduced by half (hands are clumsy at walking)
   .
2. Augmentation and additional appendages: This power enables the Nekrulgash to temporarily attach additional limbs of dead creatures, people or animals, and animate them as additional parts of the character's own body! The mage can attach as many as three additional pairs of arms and two pairs of additional legs. If desired, it is also possible to add a pair of wings, a tail, and several sets of horns to his body (in any combination). Not only does this magic augment the mage's combat abilities and powers, but the mere sight of such a disgusting multi-limbed body is frightening to behold; +1 to Horror Factor for each pair of limbs. Just as with the transformation of union, the appendages must be strapped to his body.
   P.P.E. Cost: Varies; see descriptions.
   Range: Self only from levels 1-7, others by touch from level 8 on up. The appendage must be tied to the body. At eighth level, the Nekrulgash can perform this transformation on others (same process and conditions) only the duration is half.
   Duration: Five minutes per level of the Nekrulgash. The limbs return to normal when the duration of the magic has elapsed, or when the mage is killed or rendered unconscious, or at will. The entire incantation and the tying of the limbs to the subject takes about 15 seconds/one full melee round per pair.
   Notes: The limb(s) is always proportional to the size of the Nekrulgash, never tiny or over-sized. One or both human hands can be transformed. A total of six additional appendages (arms or tentacles, etc.) can be added to the body. A tail or single horn counts as ONE appendage, a pair of wings counts as two appendages. Of course, the Nekrulgash can also transform his original limbs as described in number one. Note however, that the additional, dead, appendages cannot be transformed as described in number one and retain their original and dead appearance. This transformation andaugmentation provides additional combat abilities, powers and speed as follows:
   • Additional Arms or Tentacles: P.P.E. Cost: 10 per pair, 5 for one limb, 20 for a pair of limbs from magical, supernatural or demonic creatures. Each additional pair of arms or tentacles adds one to the character's attacks per melee round, and a +1 bonus to strike and parry. Three additional "pairs" of arms and hands (or tentacles) can be added to the body of the necromancer, for a total maximum of eight arms: the character's two natural limbs and six other limbs. The additional limbs can be humanoid, animal, or monstrous. Note that attaching one giant limb counts as two normal-sized limbs.
   • Horn(s): P.P.E. Cost: 4 each. Horns are used as a weapon in head-butting and ramming. A single horn inflicts 1D6 damage, while a pair of horns does 2D6 damage; either adds six points to the character's physical S.D.C.
   • Rhinoceros Horn: P.P.E. Cost: 8. The horn inflicts 3D6 damage and instills the abilities of keen hearing (+1 on initiative) and keen sense of smell (55% to track by smell), plus it gives the wearer an extra 20 S.D.C.
   • Unicorn Horn: P.P.E. Cost: 10. The horn inflicts 4D6 damage and can be used against vampires, zombies, and magical and supernatural beings who are impervious to normal weapons. It also instills the abilities to see the invisible, nightvision (90 ft/27.4 m), keen color vision, prowl (50%), +1 on initiative and never tires.
   • Ki-Lin Horn: P.P.E. Cost: 10. The horn inflicts 5D6 damage, and instills the abilities to see the invisible, nightvision (90 ft/27.4 m), healing touch (four times per 24 hour period, restoring 2D4 hit points and 3D6 S.D.C.), and sense evil (automatic sensation).
   • Dragon Horn: P.P.E. Cost: 30. One horn inflicts 1D4x10 damage, and +250 S.D.C. to the character wearing the horn. Two or more horns do 2D4x10+10 damage, and each additional dragon horn adds another 100 S.D.C. points.
   • Dragon Tail: P.P.E. Cost: 20. Provides one additional attack per melee and inflicts 1D6x10 damage per strike.
   • Dragon Skull: P.P.E. Cost: 50. Often worn as a helmet or ceremonial headdress known as the "Dragon Helm" and is very coveted. It instills the following powers: 240 S.D.C., understand and speak all languages, read and write Dragonese/Elf, makes the wearer impervious to fire, resistant to cold, and breathe whatever type of breath weapon (if any) the dragon had, i.e. fire, cold, acid, etc. In addition, the mage can cast any of the spells once known by the dragon equal to a 5th level spell caster!
   • Skull of a Powerful Supernatural Monster such as a greater demon or demon lord (but not elementals, vampires, or energy beings): P.P.E. Cost: 120. The skull gives the Nekrulgash an additional 300 S.D.C., the ability to speak that creature's language and all of the creature's magic powers and spell knowledge (only while the skull is activated), equal to half the level of ability of the creature when it was alive. Thus, if the creature could cast magic at 10th level, the Nekrulgash's spells derived from the skull are at fifth level power. If sixth level, spells drawn from the skull are at third, and so on.
   • A Pair of Wings from a Bird or Bat (not insects) can be attached to provide flight: P.P.E. Cost: 30. The wings must be strapped to the back of the mage and can be undersized or oversized, but when the magic is engaged the wings grow or shrink to the appropriate size for the user. Flying speed is limited to 20 mph (32 km) for most songbirds and bats, game and large birds, and 35 mph (56 km) from the wings of birds of prey. Large, monstrous wings from such creatures as the Pegasus, Peryton, Harpy, Sphinx, Gargoyle, Gryphon, Gromek, Waternix and similar beasts provide a flying speed of 45 mph (72 km).
   • A Pair of Wings from a Dragon or Powerful Supernatural Creatures like the Baal-Rog, Gargoyle Lord, Night Owl, and similar creatures. P.P.E. Cost: 90. Flight at a speed of 60 mph (96 km), as well as adding another 100 S.D.C. to the flyer (note that the wings themselves have 2D4x100 S.D.C.).
3. Animate and Control the Dead. The Nekrulgash can animate and control dead bodies, skeletons, corpses, etc., as if they were giant puppets. This power is very similar to the Wizard spell (see Palladium Fantasy RPG, 2nd edition, page 200), only the power of the Nekrulgash is considerably greater than the spell.
   P.P.E. Cost: 10
   Range: 300 feet (91 m), plus 20 feet (6 m) per level of experience.
   Duration: 10 minutes per level of experience.
   • The Nekrulgash can control four corpses/skeletons per level of experience. The bodies or skeletons can be humanoid or animal.
   • The animated dead to be controlled must be clearly in view of the spell caster in order to animate them, but the Nekrulgash can add more to his army as he locates them.
   • The Nekrulgash can also send his dead puppets on simple missions such as "destroy" or "kill" and send them wandering out of his sight, swinging and smashing everything they encounter. The animated dead will try to follow the command until they are destroyed or until the end of the spell (maximum duration). In this special case, it no longer matters whether the Nekrulgash is in view, present, or even conscious.
   • The animated dead can be either in skeleton or corpse form, of any humanoid, animal or monster. Each of the animated dead has a Spd. 7, two attacks per melee round, and attacks are inflicted by punches, kick, claws, and bites (1D6 damage). While swords and other weapons can be used by the animated dead, they don't have the coordination to use them any more effectively than blunt clubs (in other words, they are as likely to hit with the flat of the blade as the edge). Double the speed and damage of giant animals and humanoids and add one attack per melee round. These robot-like animations don't feel pain, fear or emotion.
   • Only total destruction will stop an animated dead. Whenever the Nekrulgash is rendered unconscious (or slain), the animated dead will immediately flop down and stop moving.
   • S.D.C. of a small skeleton or corpse, such as a Goblin or Gnome, is 50 S.D.C., human sized bodies, including Elves, Dwarves and Orcs, have 80 S.D.C., larger creatures, such as Wolfen and Ogres have 140 S.D.C., and giants (weighing 500 pounds/225 kg or more) are invested with 200 S.D.C. Note that arrows, spears and stabbing weapons (knives, sword points, etc.) do only one third damage, while blunt and smashing weapons or attacks do full damage. Fire does double damage.
4. Impervious to Vampires! Nekrulgash are impervious to the mind controlling bite of a vampire, and cannot be turned into a vampire, but can be slain by them. Nekrulgash know all legends about vampires and other undead, and know the proper techniques for combating them. Vampires will be covered in detail in a future supplement.
5. All Nekrulgashs are inherently frightening, even if their profession is unknown to observers. Horror Factor 6 at first level, add one to Horror Factor at levels three, five, seven, nine, eleven, thirteen and fifteen. Also add H.F. points from bonuses provided by the addition of frightening appendages. Conversely, it tends to take a lot to horrify them; +6 to save vs Horror Factor.

Islidruk Nekrulgash (Iceborn Necromancer) O.C.C.

Alignment (Males): Diabolic.

Attribute Requirements: I.Q. 10 and M.E. 10 or higher, and P.E. 12 or higher.

Gender: Male or Female

O.C.C. Bonuses: +1 to Initiative, +3 to save vs Horror Factor

O.C.C. Skills:

• Languages: Native Tongue at 98%, and 2 others of choice (+30%).
• Literacy: Two of choice (+12%).
• Lore: Religion (+10%)
• Lore: Demons/Devil (+30%)
• Lore: Creatures/Monsters (+10%)
• Lore: Undead/Darklife (+30%)
• Lore: Old Ones (+20%)
• Lore: Magic (+10%)
• Medical Doctor (+15%)
• Holistic Medicine (+10%)
• Spell Casting
• Magic Combat
• Mathematics: Basic (+20%)
• Skin and Prepare Animal Hides (+5%)
• Wilderness Survival
• W.P.: Two of choice. Hand to Hand: Basic can be selected as one O.C.C. Related Skill, Hand to Hand: Expert at the cost of two O.C.C. Related Skills, or Martial Arts or Assassin for the cost of three.

O.C.C. Related Skills: Choose 6 other skills at level 1 , plus 1 per level starting at level 2. All new skills start at Lvl. one proficiency.

• Communications: Any, but uncommon
• Domestic: Any
• Espionage: Any
• Horsemanship: General or Exotic only, but uncommon.
• Labour: Any
• Magical/Religious: Any (+20%)
• Military: Any
• Medical: Any (+5%)
• Naval: Any (+5%)
• Performing Arts: Any
• Physical: Any, except Acrobatics.
• Rogue: Any
• Science: Any
• Scholar/Noble/Technical: Any (+10%).
• Weapon Proficiencies: Any
• Wilderness: Any

Secondary Skills: Choose 4 at level 1, plus 1 per level starting at level 2. All new skills start at Level. One proficiency. These are additional areas of knowledge that don't get the O.C.C. bonus.

Starting Equipment: Short fur cloak, fur leggings, sharkskin boots, sharkskin gloves, bedroll, three large sacks, three small sacks, two waterskins, 50 feet (15 m) of rope made from animal/humanoid parts, jewelry made of teeth, tusks or human heads or skulls, and one week's worth of food (probably blubber/seal meat or preserved humanoid flesh)

Armour: None to start (see Natural A.R. 14), but may wear pair of bone gauntlets or forearm vambraces (+1 to A.R.), shoulder plating made of leather and bone, tusks, teeth, skulls and skin (+1 to A.R.). A.R. bonuses noted here are added to the Iceborn's Natural A.R. of 14.

Weapons: Characters start with one bone weapon to match each W.P., plus a sea serpent bone knife and a serpent or whale bone club (does 2D4 damage + P.S. bonuses).

Money: Have no need for money. Player Characters may have scrounged up 2D4x10 gold, plus 1D6 seal skin pelts and human hides.

Insanity: The Nekrulgash often becomes deranged with the passage of time. Roll once on the following table at levels four, eight, ten, twelve and fifteen. Of course if you want the character to be crazy, pick one or two from the very beginning. Nekrulgash Insanity Table

Experience Level:Nekrulgash 1D6+4; or as set by the Game Master for NPCs. Not recommended as a Player Character, but if so,