Inspector Wu was stumped. What began as a murder investigation soon spiralled out of hand when corpses began dissappearing from the morgue.
The first killings were brutal, the bodies mutilated upon death with limbs removed. There were signs of the dismemberment, from blood splatters to actual remnants of bone and flesh but the corpses were never found. More dead were reported over time and Wu was at a loss, until their last search turned over a fragment of a journal, half burned in the fireplace.
"I got the journal translated sir," Wu's partner, a rookie investigator named called Mouse said, dropping a pile of papers on the desk. "I think we're out of our league here, this guy is sick to the head."
Wu skimmed the files, his expression turning graver each moment. His suspections were right, it wasn't just murder going on here.
"Does this mean we're going to work with the crazy chick from the tripartriate again." Mouse asked.
"Fair warning, don't say that to her face." Wu didn't like working with her. She was good at her job, thorough, meticulous, and had the insight into the mind of a psychopath. That worried him most of all. He could ignore the weird rituals, her sketchy morals, the tendency for less than noble choices and even her damned skeletal friend. He feared what would happen if she turned on them, if she were their enemy. At this point he had no choice though, their department had no jurisdiction or knowledge to deal with such cases. With a resigned sigh Wu picked up the translated journals and got to his feet, "lets go pay the necromancer a visit."
Bone-lily, was the name she went by, coined from her pallid skin and the scent of lily of the valley perfume she often wore. Lilies were the flowers of the dead, she often said. If she disliked the name, she never said, nor did she choose to correct them. A cleric by profession, she had far more interested in the unlife. There were no secrets in death.
Orphaned at a young age, she was found wandering the streets of Tian Xia, talking to a skull. That earned her a stint in an asylum, but was eventually released to the tripatriate for reasons unknown. Eventually she found her niche as a researcher of the unknown, and consulted frequently with the constables on anything dealing with the undead.
It was the first time mouse was meeting her. He had heard stories, but nothing could prepare him for the acrid smell of death when he entered her lab. She was dressed simply in white robes of the clergy, jet black hair fell around her face, contrasting with her pallid skin. She was hauntingly captivating, like a wraith or shadow, but her body language made her disdain for the living clear. "What do you want?" she asked, her voice sounding older than she looked.
"New case, some kook is raising the dead." Wu said, handing her the case files.
Mouse leapt back when a Skeleton, presumed to be just bones sat up from his seat and took the files, passing it to her. Wu looked unfazed, apparently used to her skeletal friend.
Uncomfortable silence filled the room as she read through the files, something was strange about her, even her breathing was quiet. Abruptly she spoke, not looking up for the files, "your translators are idiots. It's not an army he wants, just a person." she picked up a quill and began scribbling notes in the margins, her handwriting archaiacally calligraphical. She handed the files back to Wu, "its his wife. He wants to remake her."
-------------
Bone Lily
Human (Tian-Shu) Cleric (Undead Lord) 2
LE Medium Humanoid (human)
Hero Points 1
Init +2; Senses Perception +4
--------------------
Defense
--------------------
AC 18, touch 10, flat-footed 18 (+6 armor, +2 shield)
hp 15 (2d8+2)
Fort +3, Ref +0, Will +7
--------------------
Offense
--------------------
Speed 0 ft.
Melee Heavy Shield Bash -3 (1d4/x2) and
Morningstar +1 (1d8/x2)
Cleric (Undead Lord) Spells Prepared (CL 2):
1 (3/day) Murderous Command (DC 15), Cause Fear (DC 16), Bless, Cure Light Wounds
0 (at will) Detect Magic, Create Water, Guidance, Detect Poison
--------------------
Statistics
--------------------
Str 10, Dex 10, Con 10, Int 13, Wis 18, Cha 18
Base Atk +1; CMB +1; CMD 11
Feats Command Undead (DC 16), Selective Channeling, Spell Focus (Necromancy)
Traits Reactionary, Sacred Conduit
Skills Acrobatics -6, Climb -6, Diplomacy +9, Escape Artist -6, Fly -6, Heal +9, Ride -6, Sense Motive +9, Spellcraft +6, Stealth -6, Swim -6
Languages Common, Infernal, Tien
SQ aura, cleric channel negative energy 1d6 (7/day) (dc 16), corpse companion, death's kiss (1 rounds) (7/day), domains (undead), hero points, spontaneous casting, variant channeling (death variant channeling [±1 profane])
Combat Gear Wand of cure light wounds; Other Gear Breastplate, Heavy wooden shield, Morningstar, Cleric's kit, Silk rope, 1509 GP
--------------------
Special Abilities
--------------------
Aura (Ex) The Cleric has an aura corresponding to his deity's alignment.
Cleric (Undead Lord) Domain (Undead) Associated Domain: Death
Cleric Channel Negative Energy 1d6 (7/day) (DC 16) (Su) Positive energy heals the living and harms the undead; negative has the reverse effect.
Command Undead (DC 16) Channel energy can take control of undead.
Corpse Companion (Su) Gain a single skeleton/zombie as companion that doesn't count against limit.
Death Variant Channeling (±1 Profane) Stabilization bonus/penalty
Death's Kiss (1 rounds) (7/day) (Su) Melee touch attack makes target count as undead for positive/negative energy healing/harming
Hero Points (1) Hero Points can be spent at any time to grant a variety of bonuses.
Selective Channeling Exclude targets from the area of your Channel Energy.
Spell Focus (Necromancy) Spells from one school of magic have +1 to their save DC.
Spontaneous Casting The Cleric can convert stored spells into Cure or Inflict spells.
Hero Lab® and the Hero Lab logo are Registered Trademarks of LWD Technology, Inc. Free download at
www.wolflair.comPathfinder® and associated marks and logos are trademarks of Paizo Publishing, LLC®, and are used under license.
