Page 228 - Monster Manual [11th Print]

MUMM I E S MUMMY LORD

Raised by dark funerary rituals, a mummy shambles In the tombs of the ancients, tyrannical monarchs and
from the shrouded stillness of a time-lost temple or the high priests of dark gods lie in dreamless rest,
tomb. Having been awoken from its rest, it punishes waiting for the time when they might reclaim their
transgressors with the power of its unholy curse. thrones and reforge their ancient empires. The regalia
Preserved W r ath. The long burial rituals that of their terrible rule still adorns their linen-wrapped
accompany a mummy's entombment help protect bodies, their moldering robes stitched with evil symbols
its body from rot. In the embalming process, the and bronze armor etched with devices of dynasties that
newly dead creature's organs are removed and fell a thousand years before.
placed in special jars, and its corpse is treated with Under the direction of the most powerful priests,
preserving oils, herbs, and wrappings. After the body the ritual that creates a mummy can be increased in
has been prepared, the corpse is typically wrapped in potency. The mummy lord that rises from such a ritual
linen bandages. retains the memories and personality of its former
T h e Will of Dark Gods. An undead mummy is created life, and is gifted with supernatural resilience. Dead
when the priest of a death god or other dark deity emperors wield the same infamous rune-marked
ritually imbues a prepared corpse with necromantic blades that they did in legend. Sorcerer lords work
magic. The mummy's linen wrappings are inscribed the forbidden magic that once controlled a terrified
with necromantic markings before the burial ritual populace, and the dark gods reward dead priest-kings'
concludes with an invocation to darkness. As a prayers by imparting divine spells.
t
mummy endures in undeath, it animates in response Heart of h e Mummy Lord. As part of the ritual that
to conditions specified by the ritual. Most commonly, creates a mummy lord, the creature's heart and viscera
a transgression against its tomb, treasures, lands, or are removed from the corpse and placed in canopic jars.
former loved ones will cause a mummy to rise. These jars are usually carved from limestone or made of
T h e Punished. Once deceased, an individual has no pottery, etched or painted with religious hieroglyphs.
say in whether or not its body is made into a mummy. As long as its shriveled heart remains intact, a
Some mummies were powerful individuals who mummy lord can't be permanently destroyed. When
displeased a high priest or pharaoh, or who committed it drops to 0 hit points, the mummy lord turns to dust
crimes of treason, adultery, or murder. As punishment, and re-forms at full strength 24 hours later, rising out
they were cursed with eternal undeath, embalmed, of dust in close proximity to the canopic jar containing
mummified, and sealed away. Other times, mummies its heart. A mummy lord can be destroyed or prevented
acting as tomb guardians are created from slaves put to from re-forming by burning its heart to ashes. For this
death specifically to serve a greater purpose. reason, a mummy lord usually keeps its heart and
Creature of Ritual. A mummy obeys the conditions viscera in a hidden tomb or vault.
and parameters laid down by the rituals that created it, The mummy lord's heart has AC 5, 25 hit points, and
driven only to punish transgressors. The overwhelming immunity to all damage except fire.
terror that foreshadows a mummy's attack can leave
the intended victim paralyzed with fright. In the days
following a mummy's touch, a victim's body rots from
the outside in, until nothing but dust remains.
Ending a Mummy's Curse. Rare magic can undo or
dispel the ritual that gave rise to a mummy, allowing it
to truly die. More commonly, a mummy can be sent back
to its endless rest by undoing the transgression that
caused it to rise. A sacred idol might be replaced in its
niche, a stolen treasure could be returned to its tomb, or
a temple might be purified of despoiling bloodshed.
More ephemeral or permanent offenses, such as
revealing a secret the mummy wished kept or killing
an individual the mummy loved, can't be so easily
remedied. In such cases, a mummy might slaughter all
the creatures responsible and still not sate its wrath.
U n dead Archives. Though they seldom bother to
do so, mummies can speak. As a result, some serve as
undead repositories of lost lore, and can be consulted by
the descendants of those who created them. Powerful
individuals sometimes intentionally sequester mummies
away for occasional consultation.
U n dead N a ture. A mummy doesn't require air, food,
drink, or sleep.