TEXT: ‘Necrophages of the Dying Earth’ by Greg Saunders
  ‘The Dying Earth RPG’ is a trademark of Pelgrane Press. All rights reserved
  Not to be distributed in any form without specific permission                                              One copy may be printed for personal use only
  Produced and distributed by agreement with Jack Vance c/o Ralph Vicinanza.
  1
  Necrophages of the Dying Earth
  By Greg Saunders
  Additional Ideas, Editing, & Layout: Ian Thomson
  Artwork: Andrew G. Wright (p5), & Shaun Thomas (p8)
  All other artwork from Dover Books copyright free resources
  www.pelgrane.com/violetcusps.htm
  Introduction
  Necrophages are abominations amongst abominations. By simple understanding, a necrophage is a sentient
  being who devours carrion - typically the remains of other sentient beings, often of their own species. By
  more studious definition a necrophage is also an entity that traffics with dark powers, often incorporating its
  repulsive dining habits into its religious or sorcerous practices. In the Earth's latter days, the broad term
  'necrophage' is commonly used to refer to more than one heinous assemblage of beings. In this article we
  cover two types: the demonist necrophage (described in small detail in ‘Demons of the Dying Earth’ and
  expanded here), and the bestial necrophage (a particularly intelligent species of half-man1 that haunts ruins
  and sparsely populated regions. Fortunately neither type is common, so do not mistake the wealth of detail
  in this article to indicate such to be true. Rather we provide this information in order to allow GMs to add
  rare and terrifying loathsome foes to their campaign at appropriate intervals.
  Bestial Necrophages
  “Sniff! I smell a sweet mind close by, rich and fragrant with the heady spice of life.”
  “I am Quisarus of the 14th Dynasty – bow down before me!”
  Many empires have flourished and diminished on the Dying Earth - the very dirt of the Earth is the
  compacted detritus of a thousand kingdoms, the soil a compost of a million bones. One of the greatest
  kingdoms of the 18th Aeon was that of the Avalotti, ruled by the cruel witch-queens and their decadent
  consorts. Throughout the aeon these powerful thaumaturges sought the powers of the upper spheres to
  guide their people, and they summoned many emissaries of the Overworld to their fractured land. One of
  their greatest queens, Mhirania, found little use in the beings of the higher realms - perceiving them as too
  rigid in their codes and actions to accommodate her many desires. Instead, she sought the forbidden
  creatures of the netherworlds for her companions and summoned many such entities to her side.
                                                  
  1 Or perhaps a particularly degenerate type of human depending upon your scholarly perspective.
  
  ‘Necrophages of the Dying Earth’ by Greg Saunders
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  2
  Unknown to all, until she called forth an avatar of the dark god known as Krann, for many years Mhirania
  practiced her magics in secret. Strange gifts it gave her and many secrets it taught; such that her power grew
  to an extent where she could claim Avalotti as her own. One secret that Krann taught her was the process
  whereby the minds of others might be distilled into liquor. Drinking the broth allowed the user to taste the
  thoughts of the victim and savor their ideas and memories. Delighted with this knowledge, Mhirania and her
  followers used the technique to gain many repulsive powers. Unfortunately, as with all gifts of the dark,
  there was a price to pay. Slowly it became clear that imbibers of this foul brew lost their sense of connection
  to the world about them. Food lost flavor, colors appeared drab and lifeless and any simple delight in living
  was lost. Eventually it seemed to the user that they were only truly vital when regularly drinking the slick
  black distillate.
  Mhirania and her followers, finding they could not enjoy life without the help of the distillate, ranged far and
  wide in search of fresh minds. From this position it was but a small step into cannibalism, and as Mhirania’s
  subjects were devoured the beautiful empire of Avalotti crumbled. The only relics of this age still extant are
  the bestial necrophages, foul descendants of Mhirania and her kind. Mere shadows of the men they once
  were, these degraded beings are worshippers of the dark deity Krann and other unclean powers. Typically
  they live in the ancient underground vaults beneath cities that have otherwise left little trace but crumbled
  ruins. Beware their power, for it is spawned from the tainted knowledge of ancient days.
  From Mael Lel Laio’s ‘Necrotic Beings and their Origins’:
  Bestial necrophages – called by some ‘barrow ghouls’2 or ‘death wights’ - are believed by some scholars to be
  true half-men, and certainly their cannibalistic instincts would support this theory. However those rare few
  that have met such necrophages and survived the encounter comment that they display a more subtle and
  intellectual cunning than the brute animalistic drive to satiate hunger expressed by the deodand or the hoon.
  Much debate rages in scholarly circles, but all can agree that these beings inhabit tombs, mausoleums and
  burial mounds in the hope of securing the deceased human flesh they are famous for consuming with such
  passion. They are found in a variety of locales but especially amongst the ruined cities and mausoleums
  hidden in the forbidding depths of the Great Erm. It is less well-known that unlike other half-men there
  seems to be a further purpose to these actions other than the satiation of gluttony.
  Unlike the necrophagic human sorcerers who generally possess a cold black intellect, and wield many
  twisted spells and charms, bestial necrophages - as their name suggests - are far cruder beings. Their need
  for the distillate is so strong within their blackened minds that without it they can barely function with
  intelligence. Should one encounter these creatures in the dark vaults of the earth not under the influence of
  the Distillate, they will appear as little more than sickening half-man incapable of civilized communication,
  though perhaps wearing rotten rags and other soiled accoutrements in a gross parody of human grandeur.
  However, should a bestial necrophage be encountered whist under the influence of their precious black
  distillate however, they may appear human, if a little archaic in expression and manner. It is during these
                                                  
  2 Not to be confused with the common ghoul, or the demon-tainted sentient ghoul.
  
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  moments of temporal lucidity that bestial necrophages are to be most feared – this is when they hunt
  victims with the greatest ferocity, because this is the time at which they fully appreciate the depths of their
  need. The only complex action that bestial necrophages seem capable of performing at all times is the
  preparation of distillate.
  Humerlus, a noted traveler and explorer of the early
  21st Aeon, was once beset by foul creatures in the
  ruins of the sunken city of O’bb’alan which had
  become unearthed during seismic convulsion of the
  earth (one of its many expirational twitches). As the
  evil beings stripped Humerlus of his sword and held
  him tight, licking their thin lips all the while, one
  brought forth an intricate mechanical device
  constructed from a bizarre array of bottles, pipes and
  tubes. Humerlus questioned his captors as to the
  purpose of the device. This information the senior
  necrophage was most willing to surrender, assuming
  Humerlus would benefit little from the knowledge -
  except perhaps in a further sphere of existence
  bearing no immediate relevance. It transpired that
  the creatures claimed to distil the essence of the
  minds of their captives into a sweet broth. Imbibing
  the liquid they explained granted them the
  knowledge and experiences of their victim and
  allowed them to savor the bittersweet experience of
  human life. As further evidence of this unusual
  behavior, it came to light during the exchange that
  the necrophage handling the equipment truly
  believed himself to be Faharad Gilmesh, third Grand
  Priam of the Restless Kingdom, and was prone to
  litter his rasping conversation with words and
  phrases characteristic of that dynasty. Luckily for
  Humerlus and all scholars of the unnatural world, a
  second spasm rising from the earth’s core dislodged
  some masonry upon the distillation equipment, and
  during the frightful wailing and gnashing of teeth
  that ensued Humerlus scrambled to the light and
  eventually reached safety.
  Bestial necrophages typically operate in packs of up to five, with the dominant member being the one who
  owns and operates the distillation equipment. They are usually found in places where the dead abide,
  scrabbling amongst the dirt, seeking ‘fresh’ supplies. Despite their horrid ways, their appearance is not
  totally inhuman; they generally resemble tall, thin men with pale skin, lank hair and deep dark eyes. Their
  long fingernails and abhorrence of the red sun indicates their preference for gloom and darkness, and their
  teeth are generally all overlong incisors capable of tearing flesh. Those pursued by these creatures in unlit
  burrows are best advised to make for the upper surfaces of the world and red sun - at least until nightfall,
  when the scent of a good mind will draw necrophages into the open. Their voices are dry and rasping and
  scrape upon the nerves.
  
  ‘Necrophages of the Dying Earth’ by Greg Saunders
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  These beings have a single drive - the consumption of distillate. Only through this foul black brew can they
  savor the feelings of life that they once enjoyed. Correspondingly the protection of their distillation
  equipment is of prime importance and the creatures have been known to throw themselves into a blind fury
  of rage should the apparatus be threatened.
  Consuming the distillate grants the necrophages some of the powers of the individual who once owned the
  mind, though the process is far from perfect. Typically the creature will gain access to some or all of the
  victim’s knowledge and experiences allowing the necrophage pedantry rolls to recall facts relating to the
  victim’s life and times. Furthermore, any spells embedded in the victim’s mind will become available, though
  the necrophage will only be able to cast such a spell once. (No copy is available and they lack the intellect to
  encompass spells in the normal fashion, though normal rules regarding the number of spells that may be
  forced into the brain apply.) Time tends to ‘mature’ the brains of victims, removing more of the trash of
  everyday life and concentrating the more pertinent facts within the shriveled husk of gray matter. However,
  the brain must be preserved from decomposition by special treatment.
  Secrets tend to concentrate in the mind and so the distillate is an excellent means of finding them out. A
  side-effect of the distillate is that memories of the victim tend to merge with the necrophage, leading to
  confusing situations and schizophrenic behavior. Many such necrophages suffer lasting schizoid side effects
  due to their ceaseless consumption3. Typically if a bestial necrophage has not consumed distillate for some
  time, it will seek the richer flavors of the matured mind to satiate the hunger. But if the creature is reveling
  in the breath of life bestowed by the distillate a fresh mind and the charms it may hold may be next upon
  the agenda. It is also during these times that necrophages have been know to declare themselves as rulers of
  long dead empires and rotting cities, plotting nonsensical schemes to destroy enemies long since reduced to
  dust. Usually it is only during periods just after distillate consumption that a bestial necrophage gains
  sufficient control of its lust to lure living victims to their doom. Typically, lures are simple and based upon
  spreading the promise of buried wealth – something many an adventurer cannot resist. (Of course, such
  semblances of civility are lost once the captive is secured, when the necrophages revert to the slavering
  desperation and gross hunger that marks their preparations and foul consumptions.)
  Necrotic Rites
  Unlike Necrophagic Warlocks, who worship no beings as their masters and coerce the nefarious denizens of
  the subworlds to their will, bestial necrophages are known to venerate a multitude of daihaki in some
  manner of pestilent and abominable pantheon. Many beings are encompassed by their foul rites and draw
  their worship, but the dark god Krann, their creator and ultimately their tormentor, figures strongly in all
  their rituals.  Gathering in the dark places of the Earth, the tombs, mausoleums and rotting cities that litter
  the land, bestial necrophages give thanks to Krann for the gift of Cerebral Distillation. They forget that the
  rudiments of life that the distillate grants - and which they seek so desperately - are but shadows of the lives
  they once enjoyed. For its part Krann has been thought to occasionally reveal itself to its worshippers,
  reveling in the degeneration its ‘gifts’ have wrought, and casting further taints. In all of these infernal
  practices, the consumption of Distillate is key, such that as the lives of victims sluice through their necrotic
  minds, the worship of the bestial necrophages can become mingled with bizarre parodies of ancient religious
  rites. These sights are truly terrifying, and needless to say these vile ceremonies are not to be witnessed by
  the weak-hearted. As well as Krann, those who have delved into the degenerate Avelotti, hint at the worship
  of other foul beings such as insane Shug, the half-demon Sal-Belomb and the putrescent Witch-hag
  Calkofax and her putrid spawn. None of these names are considered safe to utter – any who study the ways
  of necrophages would be wise not to mention them.
                                                  
  3 Though the difficulty of discerning such psychological disturbances from amidst their many other crazed behaviors
  makes this observation largely moot.
  
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  5
  Encounters
  Bestial necrophages have also occasionally been known to carry magical items dug from the depths of the
  earth or pilfered from the tombs of the ancient world. However, it is more often the Necrophagic Warlocks
  who make use of potent magical items (of the kind that the more ambitious player-characters might covet).
  Nearly all of the bestial necrophages will have access to the Distillation apparatus, the gift of their dark
  master, Krann and the center of the necrotic world. The Distillatory equipment does not have a points cost,
  as only the most degraded individual would consider adding such a device to their collection and risk the
  demonic taint that inevitably follows (see Demons of the Dying Earth for details of the taint). Note that
  bestial necrophages may occasionally be in possession of any of the magical items listed in the DERPG,
  Cugel’s Compendium or Turjan’s Tome - robbed from some grave casket of the ancient dead.
  [As noted in ‘Demons of the Dying Earth’, necrophages should not normally be available as characters to be
  controlled by the players. Such availability instills in players a false and unwholesome sense of familiarity
  with the entities of evil – which detracts from the valuable in-game otherness. Nonetheless, we supply
  sufficient detail here for GMs to create detailed foes for the unfortunate adventurers.]
  Typical Bestial Necrophage:
  Attack (Ferocity) 2~, Defense (Dodge) 2~, Health
  1.5~, Athletics ~, Concealment 5, Perception 6,
  Stealth 5, Tracking 10, Magic (Innate) 6*.
  Under the influence of Distillate these statistics
  change to represent the semblance of intelligent
  thought gained by the creature and typically become:
  Persuade (Obfuscatory) ~, Rebuff (Lawyerly) ~,
  Attack (Cunning) ~, Defense (Misdirection) 2~,
  Health 2~, Athletics 2~, Concealment 10,
  Perception 7, Stealth 7, Tracking 10, Magic (Innate)
  6*.
  Although not magicians as such, the gift of Krann was such that all bestial necrophages have magic pool –
  they may use this pool only to resist the effect of magic (the demonic taint has hardened them) and in the
  preparation of Distillate (see later). Details of the cerebral Distillatory apparatus, the Black distillate
  produced and the process involved are given in the section on Necrophagic Demonologists below, who are
  the true masters of this foul procedure.
  Cerebral Distillation
  This magical process is know by both bestial necrophages and some of the more degenerate necrophagic
  demonologists. It allows the use of the magic pool in the preparation of Black Distillate – in fact bestial
  necrophages may not use their magic pool for any other purpose than the preparation of distillate and
  resisting magic. The use of this skill is outlined below. As accomplished sorcerers, Necrophagic
  demonologists may also take the Magical Specialization ‘Cerebral Distillation’, which grants many other foul
  abilities.
  The Cerebral Distillatory Apparatus
  This strange concoction of tubes, vessels and pipes is used by necrophages to prepare distillations of human
  minds. The art of their construction is lost with the great minds of the land of Avalotti. A bulky piece of
  equipment and easily damaged, the owners tend to set up the distillation apparatus in a well-guarded lair.
  The preparation of distillate requires a brain, approximately one day of intense operation and a Magic pool
  roll, the outcome of the roll determining the quality of the distillate produced (see the table below).
  
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  The Black Distillate
  The distillate itself is a thick black sludge that would gag any fool mad enough to consume it. The effects of
  consumption are as varied as the minds of the victims themselves and are also dependent on the skill of the
  necrophagic operator of the distillatory apparatus. Distillate allows a necrophage to make Pedantry tests
  regarding the life and times of the donor, typically obscure facts regarding an ancient empire from a long-
  lost Aeon. When making Pedantry tests regarding the life and times of the donor, the quality of the final
  production roll indicates the effective Pedantry pool of the imbiber, as outlined in the table below. A side-
  effect of poorly produced Distillate is that the necrophage will find difficulty in separating its own memories
  and ideals from those of the donor brain – this manifests as a levy on any tests that the GM decides require
  intense concentration (such as persuasion). Any who observe the drinker failing a test in which a levy was
  imposed will notice that the individual is behaving oddly – the greater the failure, the odder the behavior.
  The effect of the distillate slowly fades with time, typically lasting a few days to a few weeks, though or
  course any spells are lost immediately they are cast. The quality of the Distillate cannot be assessed without
  consumption. Unsurprisingly, characters with more than a shred of sanity would not4 consider consuming
  liquor produced from the human cerebral cortex. Should a player insist upon this course of action, the GM
  should feel justified in allotting considerable negative sympathy points as well as a point of demonic taint
  per serving consumed, indicating the warping of the natural mind resulting from this foul deed (DDE, p9).
  Non-demonists that succumb to the Demonic Taint begin a slow transformation into a bestial necrophage.
  The black distillate comes in two forms, that prepared from ancient minds dug from the rotten depths of
  the earth and that produced from the minds of fresh victims harvested by the necrophage. Both forms have
  their merits. Age tends to concentrate the thoughts of a brain, producing a richer, more intense and longer
  lasting parody of life. In some cases if the mummified victim had suffered an untimely death the shriveled
  brain may also hold ancient charms lost to the world. On the other hand, fresh brains may be carefully
  harvested from unwilling victims, and can have the benefit of containing spells and charms that the victim
  did not manage to unleash before his death.
  To produce the distillate, the necrophage makes a roll using its magic pool. The final outcome of the roll
  indicates the quality of the distillate as outlined on this table:
  Final
  Production
  Effective
  Pedantry pool
  Quality
  IS
  6
  (full memory)
  The necrophage remembers the life of the donor with total clarity and is also able to
  clearly separate reality from memory.
  PS
  4
  The necrophage remembers the life of the donor with some clarity but also experiences
  occasional small lapses between reality and memory (such as occasionally mixing the
  names of companions with those of long dead emperors).
  HBS
  2
  The necrophage remembers portions of the life of the donor but also experiences frequent
  lapses between reality and memory (such as carrying out conversations in long-lost
  tongues).
  EF
  1 (flashes of
  memory)
  The necrophage remembers flashes of the memory of the donor but has difficulty
  separating these from reality – the levy to actions requiring concentration is 1.
  QF
  0
  The necrophage remembers nothing interesting of life of the donor but finds the reality
  soured by ghostly memories - the levy to actions requiring concentration is 2.
  DF
  0
  The chaotic nature of the brain patterns have a severe affect on the necrophage – they
  gabble and gibber incoherently in lost tongues but retains no useful knowledge - the levy
  to actions requiring concentration is 3.
  At the GM’s discretion, a Dismal failure could also indicate that by some happenstance the wrong brain was
  selected for distillation, with the donor perhaps only sharing a passing semblance to the human ideal.
                                                  
  4 Unless faced with literally no other option to recover a vital piece of information from a deceased mind – as a
  repulsive requirement of a particularly twisted scenario.
  
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  Magical Specialization – Cerebral Distillation
  As neophytes of the black arts, necrophagic demonologists have perfected the necrotic magics of Krann,
  and mastered the revolting science of reducing by distillation deceased gray-matter into an essential oil.
  Consuming this distillate the necrophage can experience the lives of long-dead peoples and glean secrets
  from beyond the grave. The necrophage must have access to the Cerebral Distillatory Apparatus to have
  this specialization.
  A Necrophagic demonologist who has this Specialization is not as strongly affected by the black distillate as
  his bestial brethren. With the greater mastery of the art that the Specialization indicates the Necrophagic
  demonologist can control and subdue the memories of the victim’s life and so does not suffer from the levy
  relating to poor distillate production (see table above).
  In the Workroom
  With this specialization the necrophagic demonologist may use points from the CD specialization on re-
  rolls. The final outcome of the roll determines the quality of the distillate produced (see table above).
  The necrophagic demonologist may attempt to capture spells in the Distillate by spending points from its
  Specialization pool. For every point spent before the roll to determine the quality of the Distillate, one
  straightforward spell is captured in the liquid matrix. Capturing complex spells requires the expenditure of
  two points. Of course the GM in her infinite wisdom may state that when alive the donor knew no spells in
  which case the points are wasted.
  Using the Distillatory equipment the necrophagic demonologist may also spend specialization points in an
  attempt to duplicate an existing sample of Distillate, transferring the matrix to a fresh sample. This process
  requires a fresh brain and one week. Specialization points can then be spent to produce the copy of the
  original distillate as per the normal process except rolls are at a levy of two.
  Outside the workroom
  The fleeting knowledge of the necrophagic demonologist victims thoughts that remains long after the
  effects of the distillate have faded allow the necrophagic demonologist to spend magical Specialization
  points on Pedantry tests relating to knowledge from past aeons.
  Some distillation processes involve the
  forced wearing of a demonic helm.
  
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  8
  Necrophagic Demonologists
  “Come closer and I shall eviscerate you with a charm of the 18th Aeon”
  “I am accustomed to the finer things in life – the swell of your temples indicates I shall not be disappointed”
  Necrophagic demonists are mentioned in the
  publication 'Demons of the Dying Earth' (DDE,
  p78), where the main body of demonic spells and
  other details on witches and demonists are located.
  These unpleasant folk are first and foremost witches
  and warlocks, and meddle with the dead as an
  adjunct to these primary professions. Thus, we need
  not present much detail of their standard sorcerous
  ways here - instead refer yourself to the details on
  witches, warlocks, and undead in that worthy tome.
  Necrophagic demonists typically wield spells which
  relate the their primary goals of seeking and utilizing
  the dead. The inventive GM should feel free to
  grant a necrophagic demonologist many strange
  invocations unknown in the 21st Aeon, including
  many of the imperfect spells from Turjan’s Tome.
  Below are listed a small selection of spells that a
  necrophage may wield on a more permanent basis.
  Note that these spells would be regarded as
  ‘imperfect’ and therefore not listed by Phandaal (see
  Turjan’s Tome). However, we do include several new
  spells and other unpleasant magics to expand this
  subclass of black magician even further.
  Necrophagic Spells
  Necrophagic demonists are typically powerful sorcerers who may have access to a wide range of magics.
  There follows some examples of specialist charms known only to these foul beings. GMs should note that
  should a foolhardy character wish to cast one of these invocations, they run the risk of succumbing to
  Demonic Taint.
  Shades of the Ancient World
  Range: 10 feet
  Duration: Concentration
  Difficulty: Straightforward
  Style Affinity: Devious
  Summary: Conjures phantasms from the past
  Upon uttering the harsh pervulsions, the necrophage becomes surrounded in wispy shapes and figures that
  seem to flit between faint physical form and brooding emptiness. These are the remains of the beings the
  necrophage has controlled for this or other purposes, the last tatters of their wills made physical by the
  incantation. They will move about the being of their own free will, carrying out unknown tasks that reflect
  their original purpose in life. Any who encounter these shades of the past must make a Wherewithal roll to
  avoid running in panic, and any attacks or physical actions carried out within ten feet of the necrophage
  suffer a levy of one through the distraction caused by the unquiet dead.
  Spell Failure: The shades of past victims temporarily overpower the caster – the battle from control of the
  body leaves the caster paralyzed for five minutes.
  
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  Hand of Accumulative Generations
  Range: Touch
  Duration: Feat.
  Difficulty: Straightforward
  Style Affinity: Forceful.
  This spell is employed by necrophages in the preparation of brains for distillation. Once the charm is uttered
  up to 10 pounds of flesh touched by the caster is aged the equivalent of one hundred years. The spell can be
  used on living or dead tissue but does not affect bone. Although most often employed to age brains and
  therefore concentrate the knowledge therein, the spell can also be used to age living tissue. Flesh thus
  affected remains alive but appears to all as that of an ancient man or woman with effects on the actions of
  the cursed individual as deemed appropriate by the GM. Reversing the effects of the charm requires
  powerful and rare magic such as Phandaal’s Secondary Dissolution (DDE, p36).
  Spell Failure: Instead of aging the target, the caster himself ages by a proportion equal to the ratio of 10
  pounds of flesh to his body weight, typically 5 years.
  Vapourous Cloud of Unlight
  Range: Self
  Duration: Concentration
  Difficulty: Straightforward
  Style Affinity: Devious
  The spell weaves about the caster a cloud of unlight 20 feet in diameter of the caster that refuses to be
  dispelled by mundane sources of illumination. If cast in the presence of a bright source of light the edges of
  the cloud will be clearly visible, if uttered in the dark of a tomb the cloud is indiscernible in the inky
  blackness. Of course, within the cloud the caster cannot see with any clarity, but as long as he remains
  concentrating he can move at a cautious pace. Necrophages cast this charm in the depths of crypts in order
  to disguise their advance toward unsportingly sprightly victims.
  Spell Failure: the unfortunately mixed pervulsions create a flash of blinding light, rendering the caster and
  all those within eyesight blind for five minutes.
  Shul’s Blade of Netherworldly Might
  Range: Self
  Duration: Feat.
  Difficulty: Straightforward
  Style Affinity: Forceful
  This dark charm allows the Necrophage to line the blade of a weapon with a shimmering line of darklight, a
  concentration of energy blacker than any night. During combat anyone so unfortunate as to be struck by the
  blade becomes dazed and confused as the darklight arcs from the blade to engulf the brain. This effect
  manifests itself as a levy of 2 to all actions for approximately five minutes. Once the invocation is uttered
  the blade must strike on the first attempt – if it is parried or strikes armor the darkness is dissipated.
  Spell Failure: the attempt to line pure darkness along the blade edge backfires, resulting in a similar effect
  as the spell but directed toward the caster.
  
  ‘Necrophages of the Dying Earth’ by Greg Saunders
  ‘The Dying Earth RPG’ is a trademark of Pelgrane Press. All rights reserved
  Not to be distributed in any form without specific permission                                              One copy may be printed for personal use only
  Produced and distributed by agreement with Jack Vance c/o Ralph Vicinanza.
  10
  Necrophagic Magical Items
  The Chattering Skull
  This device is a relic of the last days of Avelotti, when the empire teetered on
  the edge of ruin. Resembling a human skull mounted on a thin three-foot
  black rod of dark-stained wood, the chattering skull is indestructible by
  mundane means. To use the device, the owner merely places his hand upon
  the skull when preparing to talk. As long as the owner concentrates upon the
  device his own voice will be disguised, instead from his mouth will issue the
  tones of the original owner of the skull. Necrophages often use the device to
  help them remain hidden in the company of others; their rasping voices are
  somewhat obvious. A drawback of the skull is that the user will tend to adopt
  the mannerisms of the time in which the skull was living. This can prove very
  embarrassing in polite society (who may well take offence at someone bearing
  a staff with a human skull ornament in any case). This is represented by a levy
  of one on Persuade rolls against those sensitive to the current social mores.
  Death Trees
  Some necrophages have discovered a means to bind demonic energies into
  living trees. This is a complex and energy-consuming process, so rarely are
  more than a handful of such trees present in any one area.  The ceremony
  involves pouring the blood of victims into a deep gouge made into the side of
  a tree, and burying at least one fresh corpse between its roots. We say no
  more, as such things are too loathsome to contemplate.
  These redoubtable guardians at first resemble regular trees (although no birds
  or small creatures will ever linger in their vicinity and even larger creatures will
  tend only to pass quickly by them). However, when they are approached, the
  trees will attack any intruders that do not utter the codeword. The trees cannot
  move from the spot where they are rooted, but can swing their branches as
  clubs, and grapple with their more supple limbs. All associated foliage also
  becomes mobile – thus vines growing across a tree are also drawn into its
  unnatural arsenal.
  Kanta’s Vampiric Rune
  Carved onto any convenient smallish stone, the Vampiric Rune is left in some
  location where the intended victim will accidentally come into contact with it.
  Once grasped in one’s hand (an action that is reflexive even if the stone is only
  touched) a Magic contest begins against the stone’s rating. The victim loses
  one Health point on each EF and two points on each QF or DF (regardless of
  the state of their pool). Only when the stone’s pool is emptied can the victim
  break free (or if some spell is used by a rescuer to halt its effect).
  Lorav’s Wand of Dark
  This slim wooden wand projects a beam of darklight (over a maximum range of ten yards) that burns living
  human tissue. Fortunately for every 3 Health points scorched away one point of the user’s Magic pool is spent.
  Zing’s Abominable Charm of False Life
  This Unholy Symbol appears as a bent circle twisted with living vines of flesh (all constructed of tarnished
  silver). It’s owner (typically a necrophagic sorcerer) may use it once only in any day to instantly control and
  animate any human corpse that has been slain within the last day. This creation has double the Health of a
  typical recently animated corpse (see Demons of the Dying Earth) and will obey quite complex commands
  (though only has limited effective actions).
  
  ‘Necrophages of the Dying Earth’ by Greg Saunders
  ‘The Dying Earth RPG’ is a trademark of Pelgrane Press. All rights reserved
  Not to be distributed in any form without specific permission                                              One copy may be printed for personal use only
  Produced and distributed by agreement with Jack Vance c/o Ralph Vicinanza.
  11
  Encounters with Necrophages
  There follows brief outlines of several adventure hooks involving necrophages that could be employed by
  the GM as starting point for a Turjan-level series or be woven into an existing series. Although aimed at
  Turjan level, the crafty GM could adapt these hooks to the more profane Cugel level.
  The Last Duke of Cel Catrelopar
  A rumor comes to an acquaintance of the characters that through ceaseless digging a pack of bestial
  necrophages have broken into the lost mausoleums of Amportaru, last Crystalline Duke of Cel Catrelopar.
  This gloried kingdom of the 19th Aeon was known to wield many wonders, including a startling array of
  magic items and scientific adjuncts now lost to mankind. However, the location of the grand city of Cel
  Catrelopar has been lost for Aeons despite many attempts to locate it. Assuming the necrophages will
  prepare their distillate from the long-dead lord of Cel Catrelopar, it is possible that the secret location of the
  city could be revealed. Perhaps the characters could questioning one sufficiently deluded by the unctuous
  fluid. Surely then the rich of Cel Catrelopar are for the taking? Of course, the characters are not the only
  people to draw this conclusion.
  The characters could become involved in this adventure in many ways. Perhaps they know of Cel Catrelopar
  and hear the rumor themselves. They could be acquaintances of a powerful magician who seeks the secret of
  the city for themself or even agents of Kandive the Golden who is seeking to enrich his sorcerous
  knowledge at minimal personal risk. In any case, however they are drawn into the adventure they will find
  themselves opposed by a number of other parties, not least the necrophages themselves who are unwilling
  to divulge their ill-gotten information.
  The Manse Pertello
  As luck would have it, powerful magician, Allaine, has fallen foul of a crazed demonist necrophage who
  meddles with the dangerous distillate. Allaine’s manse, Pertello, a beautiful construction of silver and brass
  set on top a nearby mountain, remains unoccupied but is known to be filled with a variety of wondrous
  artifacts and devices. To gain access to the manse requires the keyword that unarms the defenses, a phrase
  known only to the unfortunate Allaine. The necrophage in question is now travelling toward the manse with
  the phrase at hand ready to reoccupy ‘his’ home. The characters encounter the madman on route, dressed in
  the finery of a powerful magician. Do the characters join the foul creature at serious risk of loosing their
  minds? Or do they perhaps lead the beast on ready to plunder Pertello at their leisure. And what exactly is
  hidden in the mysterious manse?
  The Crone
  The characters are relaxing at their manse, or some such place of repose, when a mysterious lady
  approaches. Veiled and hidden, she tells them her name is Hess and reveals that a necrophage has done her
  a terrible evil, and aged her face beyond the count of years. She begs the characters to aid her, offering her
  wealth and herself in recompense. A local magician, Severak, knows a charm for undoing the necrophage’s
  evil deed but requires the creature itself before the spell can be completed. Will the characters help the
  unfortunate victim (and what will this entail); and if so, will she keep her promise? And what would Severak
  wish for in return?
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dying Earth/The Dying Earth Necrophages of the Dying Earth.pdf