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The Fury Of The Northmen

Greater Draugar (ᚦ,V)

ᛒᛁᛏᚨ ᚠᛖᛟᚱᚺᚺᛟᚱᛞ

Just as there are less powerful and more powerful versions of animals, beasts, monstrosities, and so on, so too are there less powerful and more powerful versions of the undead. One prominent example of this is the greater draugar, similar in many respects to the draugar but a superior version in every respect.

Greater draugar can be differentiated in a few ways from the draugar. Greater draugar are innately powerful, rather than gaining their power from class levels; greater draugar are a little taller than ordinary draugar; and the color associated with the greater draugar is black, where the color associated with the draugar is soft blue. Too, the greater draugar no longer stinks of rotting corpse, being too cold to decay.

The greater draugar looks like a very tall corpse, still bearing the wounds that killed him or her, and still wearing and bearing their best burial goods. But their facial expression is more gaunt and menacing than a draugar’s, and their eyes shine pure black. They are altogether more intelligent and aware than ordinary draugar and make both better servants to necromancers and more dangerous rogues when they break free of the necromancers’ control—as often happens.

Medium undead, cruel and evil

Armor Class 19 (armor, shield)
Hit Points 190 (20d8+100)
Speed 30 ft

Str 22 (+6) Dex 15 (+2) Con 21 (+5)
Int 17 (+3) Wis 18 (+4) Cha 18 (+4)

Saving Throws STR +11, CHA +9
Skills History +14, Insight +9, Perception +9, Stealth +7
Condition Immunities bleeding, charmed, dreamy, exhausted, frightened, paralyzed, poisoned, woozy
Damage Immunities cold, necrotic, poison
Damage Resistances piercing and slashing from nonmagical attacks; bludgeoning damage from nonmagical attacks and +1 and +2 weapons
Senses darkvision 90 ft, passive Perception 19
Languages Viking
Reaction to terror
Challenge 16 (15,000 XP)

EQUIPMENT

  • Chain Shirt
  • Shield

Chill of the Grave. A greater draugr retains the punishing cold of the winter earth. Any creature that starts its turn within 5 ft of a greater draugr or moves to within 5 ft of a greater draugr during their turn takes 11 (3d6) cold damage.

Frozen Flesh. The greater draugr is completely frozen from its long rest in the cold ground, through numerous winters. The frozen, stiff flesh of the greater draugr grants it a +2 bonus to Armor Class and leaves the greater draugr resistant to bludgeoning damage from nonmagical attacks and +1 and +2 magic weapons.

Greater Draugr Vitality. The round after the greater draugr drops below 0 hit points, it returns to 10 hit points. The only way to permanently destroy a greater draugr is to cut off its head, place it on the greater draugr’s buttocks, and then burn it.

Innate Spellcasting. The greater draugr’s innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 17, spell attack bonus +9). It can cast the following spells innately:

  • At-will: darkness, enlarge/reduce (self only), frozen arrow, invisibility
  • 3/day: chilled brain, haste, teleport
  • 1/day: freezing sphere, rainbow bridge

Insubstantial (3/day). When the greater draugr is hit by a melee weapon attack or a magic spell of 5th level or below, the greater draugr may use its reaction to become insubstantial until the start of its next turn.

Legendary Resistance (3/day). If the greater draugr fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.

Prophesy (3/day). If the greater draugr can be placated, or if a mortal has it in their power, the greater draugr will prophesy for the mortal. The greater draugr will predict future events with great detail: “You will be killed by a greater trǫll in Jórvik on Odin’s name day after your companions are killed by the trǫll’s werewolf companions.” The effects of the prophesying are enough to give the person who requested the prophecy from the greater draugr the benefits of the foresight spell.

Undead Grudge Holding. When a living being insults the greater draugr by attempting to dig into its burial ground or cairn, by attempting to steal its burial goods, by walking across the ground above which the greater draugr’s body is buried, by attacking the greater draugr, or by defending themselves from the greater draugr, the greater draugr will bear that being a grudge. No matter where in the Nine Worlds the other being is, the greater draugr will always knows their location, and will do their best to travel to them and kill them.

ACTIONS

Multiattack. The greater draugr makes three melee attacks each turn.

+1 Bleeding Frozen Long Spear. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 5 ft, one target. Hit: 12 (1d8+7) piercing damage + 5 (1d8) cold damage, and the target must make a DC 19 CON saving through or gain the bleeding condition at 1 hit point per turn.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 5 ft, one target. Hit: 10 (1d6+6) piercing damage.

MOTIVES

The greater draugr is very intelligent, very cruel, and very evil, and everything they do reinforces their reputation for intelligence, evil and cruelty.

ALLIES

A greater draugr’s allies are the servants of the being who summoned or created the greater draugr.

Greater Jǫtunn Draugr

ᚱᛁᚲᚱ ᛃᛟᛏᚢᚾᚾ ᛞᚱᚨᚢᚷᚨᚱ

Sufficiently powerful necromancers can cast the call monster draugr spell, summoning the body and soul of one of four types of “monsters” to be the necromancer’s thrall. For this act most intelligent non-humans loathe the necromancer, hating and fearing them for this ultimate violation of the sanctity of the grave. Necromancers do not care about this hatred, seeing the dead only as tools they can use in the worship of Odin All-Father.

One of these four kinds of “monsters” is the greater jǫtunn. The bodies of the greater jǫtnar lie surprisingly thick in the ground of Miðgarðr, reflecting the reality of the many wars between humans and the gods and the jǫtnar over the centuries. Some of the jǫtnar’s bodies are in an advanced state of decomposition, little more than skeletons, but many are surprisingly well-preserved, which the necromancers find particularly useful for their plans.

Some Viking adventurers, encountering a greater jǫtunn draugr for the first time, are surprised that they are not more fearsome, considering that the greater jǫtnar are close to the equals of the gods. The truth is that while ordinary draugar retain the skills and abilities they had while alive, almost all of the higher magic of the greater jǫtnar is too complex to survive the transition to being a draugar.

Huge undead, orderly and evil

Armor Class 18 (divine mammoth hide armor)
Hit Points 310 (20d12+180)
Speed 40 ft

Str 28 (+9) Dex 14 (+2) Con 28 (+9)
Int 17 (+3) Wis 21 (+5) Cha 18 (+4)

Saving Throws STR +15, CON +15, WIS +11, CHA +10
Skills History +20, Insight +11, Religion +20, Perception +11
Condition Immunities bleeding, charmed, dreamy, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, poisoned, woozy
Damage Immunities cold, necrotic, poison
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks; bludgeoning from +1 and +2 weapons
Senses darkvision 90 ft, passive Perception 21
Languages Jǫtunn
Reaction to disbelief and terror
Challenge 18 (20,000 XP)

Chill of the Grave. A greater jǫtunn draugr retains the punishing cold of the winter earth. Any creature that starts its turn within 10 ft of a greater draugr or moves to within 10 ft of a greater draugr during their turn takes 14 (4d6) cold damage.

Frozen Flesh. The greater jǫtunn draugr is completely frozen from its long rest in the cold ground, through numerous winters. The frozen, stiff flesh of the greater draugr grants it a +2 bonus to Armor Class and leaves the greater draugr resistant to bludgeoning damage from nonmagical attacks and +1 and +2 magic weapons.

Greater Jǫtunn Draugr Vitality. The round after the greater jǫtunn draugr drops below 0 hit points, it returns to 10 hit points. The only way to permanently destroy a greater jǫtunn draugr is to cut off its head, place it on its buttocks, and then burn it.

Innate Spellcasting. The greater jǫtunn draugr’s innate spellcasting ability is CHA (spell save DC 18, spell attack bonus +10). It can cast the following spells innately:

  • At-will: blur, frozen arrow, sleep
  • 3/day: blink, counterspell, protection from energy
  • 1/day: branch of Yggdrasill, chilled brain, frostbite

Insubstantial (3/day). When the greater jǫtunn draugr is hit by a melee weapon attack or a magic spell of 5th level or below, the greater jǫtunn draugr can use its reaction to become insubstantial until the start of its next turn.

Legendary Resistance (3/day). If the greater jǫtunn draugr fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.

Prophesy (3/day). If the greater jǫtunn draugr can be placated, or if a mortal has it in their power, the draugr will prophesy for the mortal. The draugr will predict future events with great detail: “You will be killed by a greater trǫll in Jórvik on Odin’s name day after your companions are killed by the trǫll’s werewolf companions.” The effects of the prophesying are enough to give the person who requested the prophecy from the greater jǫtunn draugr the benefits of the foresight spell.

Undead Grudge Holding. When a necromancer enslaves the soul and body of a greater jǫtunn by making it into a greater jǫtunn draugr, the jǫtunn bears the necromancer a furious, everlasting grudge. If the greater jǫtunn draugr ever breaks free of the necromancer’s control, it will pursue the necromancer across Miðgarðr, across the Nine Worlds, and into the depths of Hel itself in an attempt to kill them. No matter where in the Nine Worlds the necromancer is, the greater jǫtunn draugr will always know their location, and will do their best to travel to the necromancer and kill them.

ACTIONS

Multiattack. The greater jǫtunn draugr makes three melee attacks each turn, two giant’s battle axe and one grab.

Giant’s Battle Axe. Melee Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, reach 10 ft, one target. Hit: 23 (3d8+9) slashing damage.

Grab. Melee Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, reach 10 ft, one target. Hit: 13 (1d6+9) bludgeoning damage, and the target must make a DC 16 DEX saving throw or be grabbed. A grabbed creature is restrained, and automatically takes 18 (4d8) bludgeoning damage at the start of their turns.

LEGENDARY ACTIONS

A greater jǫtunn draugr can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at one time, and only at the end of another creature’s turn. The jǫtunn regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.

  • Attack. The greater jǫtunn draugr makes a melee weapon attack.
  • Bedazzle. The greater jǫtunn draugr conjures a dazzling, very bright magical vision in front of one creature’s face within 60 feet of the draugr. The creature must make a DC 16 DEX saving throw to look away in time or gain the blinded condition 1 minute. The creature may make a DC 23 CON saving throw at the end of each of its turns to end the effect.
  • Rune Attack (costs 3 actions). The greater jǫtunn dragur conjures up the Ƞ rune in the air between the draugr and its enemies. All non-jǫtnar in a 30-foot-radius of the rune must make a DC 18 CHA saving throw or gain the charmed condition for 1 minute. The creature may make another saving throw at the end of each of its turns to end the effect.

MOTIVES

Greater jǫtunn draugr are usually summoned and controlled by necromancers and obey them automatically. Those who break free of their summoner, after killing them, attempt to return home to Jǫtunnheimr or establish dominion over an area of land on Miðgarðr.

ALLIES

The allies of the greater jǫtunn draugr are the dead and the servants of the necromancer who created or summoned the draugr.

Greater Trǫll Draugr

ᚱᛁᚲᚱ ᛏᚱᛟᛚᛚ ᛞᚱᚨᚢᚷᚨᚱ

One of the four kinds of “monsters” summoned by the call monster draugr spell is the greater trǫll. Greater trǫlls are more common on Miðgarðr in the Viking lands and even in the British Isles than one would think; the interactions and history between the various types of trǫlls and humanity are surprisingly numerous and ancient. Consequently, greater troll draugar are more common than would be supposed.

Some Viking adventurers, encountering a greater trǫll draugr for the first time, are surprised that they are not more terrifying, considering how fearsome the living greater trǫlls are. The truth is that while ordinary draugar retain the skills and abilities they had while alive, many of the magical abilities of the greater trǫlls are too complex to survive the transition to draugar.

Huge undead, cruel and evil

Armor Class 20 (divine wolf skin armor)
Hit Points 238 (19d12+114)
Speed 40 ft

Str 22 (+6) Dex 11 (+0) Con 22 (+6)
Int 16 (+3) Wis 22 (+6) Cha 22 (+6)

Saving Throws CON +12, WIS +12, CHA +12
Skills Intimidation +12, Perception +12, Stealth +7
Condition Immunities bleeding, charmed, dreamy, exhausted, frightened, paralyzed, poisoned, woozy
Damage Immunities cold, necrotic, poison
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks, bludgeoning from +1 and +2 weapons
Senses truesight 60 ft, passive Perception 22
Languages Trǫll, Viking
Reaction to disbelief and terror
Challenge 17 (20,000 XP)

Chill of the Grave. A greater trǫll draugr retains the punishing cold of the winter earth. Any creature that moves within 5 feet of the draugr takes 14 (4d6) cold damage.

Frozen Flesh. The greater trǫll draugr is completely frozen from its long rest in the cold ground, through numerous winters. The frozen, stiff flesh of the draugr grants it a +2 bonus to Armor Class and leaves the draugr resistant to bludgeoning damage from nonmagical attacks and +1 and +2 magic weapons.

Greater Trǫll Draugr Vitality. The round after the greater trǫll draugr drops below 0 hit points, it returns to 15 hit points. The only way to permanently destroy a greater jǫtunn draugr is to cut off its head, place it on its buttocks, and then burn it.

Innate Spellcasting. The greater trǫll draugr’s innate spellcasting ability is CHA (spell save DC 20, spell attack bonus +12). The greater trǫll draugr can cast the following spells innately:

  • At-will: blur, darkness, drop weapon, long claws
  • 3/day: lesser curse, mouth binding, trǫll curse
  • 1/day: blink, branch of Yggdrasill, contagion, frighten

Legendary Resistance (3/day). If the greater trǫll draugr fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.

Shapeshifting. A greater trǫll draugr has the ability to shapeshift into the form of any undead creature included on this site of CR 16 or below. In its new form the greater troll draugr has the physical abilities of their new form but none of the magical abilities. Moreover, the trǫll has the same hit points of its base form while shapeshifted, and keep their Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma statistics. Lastly, it keeps the glowing blue eyes and Chill of the Grave aura no matter what shape it changes into.

ACTIONS

Multiattack. The greater trǫll draugr makes four giant hand axe attacks.

Giant Hand Axe. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, 5 ft reach, one target. Hit: 13 (2d6+6) slashing damage.

LEGENDARY ACTIONS

A greater trǫll draugr can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at one time, and only at the end of another creature’s turn. The draugr regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.

  • Cast a Spell. The greater trǫll draugr casts one of its at-will spells.
  • Trip. The greater trǫll draugr uses his hand axes to trip his opponent. The target must make a Dexterity saving throw (DC 20) or be tripped prone.
  • Rune Attack (costs 3 actions). The trǫll conjures up the Ǯ rune in the air between itself and its enemies. All non-trǫlls in a 30-foot-radius of the rune must make a DC 20 CHA saving throw or gain the distracted condition for 1 minute. The creature may make another saving throw at the end of each of its turns to end the effect.

MOTIVES

Greater trǫll draugar automatically obey the orders of the necromancer who summoned them; if the greater trǫll draugr breaks free of the necromancer, it kills the necromancer and then either uses branch of Yggdrasill to go on to Yggdrasill or attempts to join other evil trolls on Miðgarðr.

ALLIES

The allies of the greater trǫll draugar are the dead, the undead, and the servants of the necromancer who summoned or created the draugr.