Villains' Lorebook.pdf - Department of Political Science

Zin-Carla
(Necromancy)
Level: 7
Sphere: Necromantic (Lolth)
Range: Touch
Components: V,S,M
Duration: Varies
Casting Time: 4 rounds
Area of Effect: One creature
Saving Throw: Special
This spell is “the highest gift of Lolth,” granted
rarely even to favored drow priestesses. It is a special
form of animate dead, which creates a special sort of
zombie known as a spirit-wraith. Imbued with skills,
hit points, armor class, and THAC0 it have in life,
this creation is telepathically linked to—and controlled
by—the caster of this spell, usually a drow
matron mother.
This spell may not be instantaneously granted, or
may be denied entirely, at Lolth’s (as in the DM’s)
will. It is granted only for the completion of specific
tasks, and these may never be purely to work revenge
or bring harm on other drow. Failure in the
task brings on the disfavor of Lolth.
Zin-carla involves the forcible return of a departed
soul or spirit to its body. Only through the willpower
and exacting, sleepless control of the caster are the
undead being’s desired skills kept separate from unwanted
memories and emotions. The duration of the
spell is limited by the needs of the task, the patience
of Lolth, and the mental limits of the caster, for a
total loss of control usually means failure.
So long as that control is maintained, the spiritwraith
cannot tire or be distracted from its task. It
does not feel pain or disability, and will continue to
function as long as it remains mobile.
A spirit-wraith cannot be made to cast spells without
losing control over its mind entirely, but can
fully use combat and craft-skills possessed in life. If
control is lost, the wraith becomes a revenant, driven
by hatred and the memory of its violation at the
hands of the zin-carla caster. Uncontrolled spiritwraiths
do not stop until the zin-carla caster is destroyed.
A spirit-wraith driven to do something against its
old nature has a chance of breaking free of its control
(treat as a charm spell, with the same saving
throw as in life). For example, one cannot successfully
use this undead to destroy a being that it loved
in life. (A fact that Matron Malice Do’Urden
learned to her chagrin.)
Spell-like natural powers (such as the levitation
ability of drow) are retained and can be used by the
undead. The spirit-wraith can use its former experience
and memories, as much as allowed by the spellcaster.
Both the spirit-wraith and the caster are immune
to the effects of spells that attack the mind,
and similar spell-like powers (such as the mental
blast of a mind flayer). It knows wariness, anger, glee,
hatred, frustration, and triumph, but not fear. It cannot
be controlled by the spells and priestly powers
normally used to command encountered undead,
and control of it cannot thereby be wrested away
from the caster of the zin-carla.
Spirit-wraiths do not breathe, but can speak (if allowed
to do so by their controller). They can utter
command and activation words, and the controlling
caster can speak through them directly, but spell in-
cantations will take effect if uttered by the undead.
To stop a spirit-wraith it must be physically destroyed;
if it is still able to even crawl, it will do so,
tirelessly, searching for a way to complete its task.
The material components of this spell are the
corpse to be re-animated, and a treasured object that
belonged to the person to be controlled. If the
corpse is badly decomposed or not whole, other
spells (such as Nulathoe’s ninemen) and magical
unguents also will be required, to restore it to a
whole condition.
Wizards and other powerful creatures (such as
mind flayers, aboleth, or cloakers) who raid and despoil
drow cities can expect to face either a full-scale
attack—or a spirit-wraith or two.
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