Undead Vikings

HD 3
AC plate
Axe 1d8
Speed as human
Morale 12
# Appearing 2d4

Also known as draugr, undead vikings are usually created by a powerful necromancer.  They are capable of speech, although they rarely care enough to do so.  Beneath their shriveled, leathery skin they have rotted down to nearly dirt.  They bleed filthy soil.  When killed, they boil into stinking smoke over the next minute, leaving only armor behind.

Except for perhaps skeletons, there is no such thing as mindless undead.  Undead vikings are solemn and mournful.  They may employ simple tactics in battle such as ganging up and controlling choke points.  They might honor the dead (their own or others') by kneeling beside them, or by burning them atop a bier.  If greeted with an appropriately mournful tale by a skilled bard, they will pause and listen.

Undead vikings that have 17 or more HP possess a unique ability, each usable 1/day.

Unique Abilities (d6)

1. Can double in size, double HP and damage, lasts 3 rounds.
2. Miasmatic radiation from empty eye socket (as ray) deals 1d6 damage and dislocates random limb (save negates).
3. Howls at target, who begins howling back, taking 1d4 damage each round and being unable to take any non-aggressive action.  Target gets a save at the start of each of their turns.
4. Points finger and curses target, who begins to turn into lead.  Target takes 1 damage first turn, 2 damage the second turn, etc.  Curse ends when the undead viking is dead.
5. Axe animates and attacks on its own (HD 2, AC plate, damage 1d8) while the undead viking continues to attack with punches and bites (1d4 damage).
6. Can sink into the earth and emerge from any other natural earth within 100'.  Usable in place of normal movement, and without limit.

Undead Viking Scenarios (d6)

1. Dragging a funeral barge (1000 lbs) by ship ropes.  Leaves a clear path through the forest snow.  Kingly corpse has jewelry worth 500s and a cursed weapon.  They are dragging the ship from the ocean to their master.
2. Extracting the bones from a mammoth graveyard at the behest of their master.  Upset mammoths pace around the periphery, too scared to actually approach.
3. Sealing themselves back in their tomb.  Tomb contains treasure worth 1d6x100s and a cursed fire that burns everyone who sees it (1d6/rnd).
4. Singing dirges while hidden among the crags.  If the PCs pursue the source of the noise, there is a 50% chance to surprise and a 50% chance to be surprised.
5. Butchering a tiny village (3d6 people) in order to claim their graveyard at the behest of their master.
6. Standing in the middle of a river ford.  Those who wish to cross must defeat their leader (the one with the most HP) in single combat, amid swiftly-flowing, thigh-deep water.  If you impress them, they will tell you their story (useful but depressing).

Undead Viking Treasures (d6)

Each treasure has a 50% chance to be cursed.  Each treasure is valuable and each group of undead vikings carries one of these.  (Cursed items cannot be removed.)

1. Shield shaped like a woman's face.  Curse: Fail all saves vs death.
2. Breastplate with a small puncture wound over the heart.  Curse: Double damage from arrows.
3. Helmet shaped like a wolf's head.  Screaming inside the helmet reverberates into basso howls.  Curse: Save vs lycanthropy.
4. Spear with only half a crossguard.  Curse: Must be the last one to retreat from a battle.
5. Axe with rust patterns that resemble a distorted eye.  Curse: Cannot enter a church or receive magical healing.
6. Pitted sword with hilt made from valuable mammoth ivory.  Under the rotted-away leather grip is a barely visible insignia of an impaled man.  Curse: All damage you do to undead is mirrored onto you.