The blackened mass of dead flesh and charred bone standing before you was human . . . once. The reek of burnt sinew, scorched flesh and smoking hair hangs heavy about the thing’s lank frame, nauseating those who inhale its stench. A patchwork of immolated flesh, the color of greasy tar, hangs over its decaying remains. Eye sockets empty of any orb stare menacingly, reflecting the deepest pits of the Abyss.

The corpse’s open sores fester and bubble constantly, tearing painful holes in what was once flesh. Hot ichor spews from each wound, scalding the surrounding skin like fat in a pan, and each spilled drop hits the ground with an audible hiss. Each hole slowly closes only to be replaced elsewhere by a dozen more gashes just like it. As it stalks towards you, a sullen wail escapes the mouth of this Thing That Should Not Be. [More…]

Some black rite of a wicked people, so foul that all of humanity is stained with its undertaking, hath wrought this nameless terror.

Lyeflesh Zombie CR 4

Lyeflesh Zombie CR 4
Always CE medium undead
Init +1; Senses Darkvision; Listen +6, Spot +6
DEFENSE
AC 15, touch 11, flat-footed 14
(+1 Dex, +4 natural)
hp 33 (4d12+3); fast healing 2
Fort +1, Ref +2, Will +5
OFFENSE
Spd 30 ft.
Melee Slam +3 melee (1d6+1 plus Caustic Embrace 1d4+1d4 following round)
Ranged Hateful Tongue +3 ranged (2d4+1d4 following round)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks Caustic Embrace, Hateful Tongue, Spite

TACTICS
Before Combat Like other zombies, the lyeflesh are not known for their subtlety. True, they sometimes silently stalk their victims like a pack of wolves for days, until they can spring a nighttime ambush. When they do attack, lyeflesh zombies seek only slaughter.

During Combat Lyeflesh zombies use their Hateful Tongue ability until they can close the distance between themselves and their prey, but they do not linger at range; thesezombies relish close physical combat. They prefer to grapple, howling maddeningly as their black touch burns through tender flesh, blade, and mail alike.

Morale Although reduced to a bestial and savage state of mind, lyeflesh zombies innately know to play dead when grievously injured. An undead, mortally wounded, and unbreathing creatures pretending death appears incredibly convincing to the uninitiated. If this ruse does not work, the zombie makes a last ditch charge at a weakened target, hoping to take one last victim with it into oblivion.

STATISTICS
Str 13, Dex 12, Con –, Int 5, Wis 12, Cha 12
Base Atk +2; Grp +3
Feats Toughness
Skills Climb +5, Hide +7, Jump +5, Listen +6, Move Silently +6, Search +3, Spot +6
Languages none (understands common)
SQ fast healing 2

SPECIAL ABILITIES
Caustic Embrace (Su): The black touch of the lyeflesh zombie leaves bloody hand-shaped chemical burns on its victims, automatically dealing an additional 1d4 points of acid damage with a successful attack, and another secondary 1d4 points of damage the following round as their lye continues to burn. Secondary damage from multiple attacks stack.

When grappling, they deal 1d2 points of damage the foe’s armor until the armor is destroyed. Once the flesh is unprotected, they deal 1d4 points of damage per round of contact, and an additional 1d4 damage the round when contact is broken.

Hateful Tongue (Su): Once every 1d4 rounds, a lyeflesh zombie may vomit a deadly stream of searing lye 5 feet high, 5 feet wide, and 30 feet long, causing 2d4 damage, Reflex save (DC 13) for half damage. If the stream hits, the target automatically takes an additional 1d4 damage the following round.

Spite (Su): Ranged touch attack – when damaged by piercing or slashing weapons, the lyeflesh zombies release a caustic spurt of the lye that gives them their name. The attacker takes 1d4 acid damage, and all those within 5 feet take 1 point of damage. Any piercing or slashing weapon that hits a lyeflesh zombie automatically takes 1d2 points of damage, as the creature’s fluids corrode and pit the weapon.

Fast Healing (Ex): Lyeflesh zombies heal 2 points of damage each round so long as they have at least 1 hit point. If reduced to 0 hit points or less, they take partial actions and regain 1 hit point per hour until they have 1 hit point, and then resume healing at the rate of 2 hit points per round. A lyeflesh zombie can be destroyed only if reduced to -10 hit points; the damage is great enough that the stasis between its healing rate and lye production falls apart. The zombie melts into a puddle of acidic black ichor and is forever destroyed, with a final chorus of nightmarish screams and bubbling flesh.

ECOLOGY
Environment Anywhere a humanoid creature was burned to death.
Organization Solitary, gang (2-5), or pack (6-12)
Treasure None
Advancement 5-6 HD (Medium)

Heretics, sinners, witches, pagans and the like who were burned at the stake occasionally rise from their charnel ash as lyeflesh zombies. They retain a bestial and cunning sliver of intelligence, but they are distinctly more savage than rational. The skin of the Lyeflesh forever burns, much as it did at the time of death. These wretched creatures suffer eternally, and only wish to inflict the same burning pain they feel on all other living things.

The lyeflesh zombie remain disturbingly self-willed and sometimes turn on their creators. Other than to rend and kill, few desires occupy their warped thoughts. Fleeting glimpses of their former lives occasionally flit back to them, filling them with rage as their fractured minds cannot fully remember what was, and cannot now comprehend what they have become.

Fire, the instrument of their death, is always keenly remembered however. Any living being carrying fire, using it, or seen warming themselves by it, is often the initial target of their unbridled rage. Lyeflesh zombies are vindictive and hateful things that will stop at nothing to kill, even if it means their own destruction.

Lyeflesh zombies “live” only with others who died with them, congregating solely to wreak death and havoc upon the living. Tied together through some dark, subconscious sense of brotherhood – no doubt a remnant of the lives they formerly lived together, they are now inextricably bound through their shared horror. Lyeflesh zombies are not a natural part of the world and exist wholly outside and apart from it. They can be found anywhere a humanoid creature was burned to death.

Lyeflesh Zombie Lore
Knowledge (Religion)
DC Result
10 Lyeflesh Zombies are beings that were burned alive, arising as vicious undead with a caustic touch.
12 Lyeflesh Zombies can spew a deadly stream of lye at their victims. Their bodies are so full of lye that any wound inflicted upon them causes them to bleed lye, burning their attackers and dissolving their weapons.
15 Lyeflesh Zombies’ minds have been irretrievably warped from their horrific deaths. When brought back as undead, they retain a degree of cunning, and occasionally turn on those that brought them back. Lyeflesh remember the flames that killed them, and attack those that carry, use, or are near fire.
18 Lyeflesh Zombies’ caustic touch and spew continues to sear the flesh for some time after contact. Pure silver applied to the burn will stop the secondary burning, as will the spells bless and protection from evil.
20 Lyeflesh Zombies endure an unending cycle of being devoured by lye and mending at an unnatural rate. The only way to forever destroy one is to inflict such physical damage to the creature that it is consumed in its own lye.

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