Van Richten's Guide to the Ancient Dead
Author: Skip Williams
Type: Accessory – monster (mummy)
Format: 96 pages paperback
Release date: 1994
Other notes: This book was to see reprint in 1999 as a part of the Van Richten's Monster Hunter's Compendium Volume 2 (with little expansion in this re-edition).
Summary of content:
-
Introduction
- Necrology
- Types of mummies (power ranks (1 to 5), origins, state of preservation)
- Typical powers
- Salient powers
- Weaknesses
- Awakenings (creating a mummy, triggers)
- Houses of the Dead (tombs, guardians, curses, etc.)
- Battling the ancient dead Appendix: Mummy adventures, A recipe for fine mummification
Reviews:
Joël Paquin
Interesting book, expanding a lot on the mummy concept. Now they come in many new forms, and often can’t be recognized as mummies, which is a great asset for an evil DM. However, where is the psychology discussion for these? That would have been useful, IMHO, to make them less shambling life-crushing undead.
The ranks are well made, making a 2 hit dice mummy possible – great for low level parties.
There is a long cheesy explanation on planar connection (mummies are connected to the positive plane material, while the others undead are closer to the negative plane)…
3 on 5.
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