[UA] RE: Adapting CoC scenarios to UA

[Foster Ranney]

There are any number of ways to explain zombies. I don't know whether these zombies are controlled by an NPC or independently risen, though; that can make a difference. If the zombies are being used by someone, for instance, corpses animated by demons can be useful servants. No-one is expecting the deceased to be around anymore, so they can often go under the radar. Also, if the link between demon and body depends on a spell, the caster has more control over the demons than he otherwise might.

If the bodies just happen to be walking around, though, there are plenty of other options. For instance, maybe when your thanatomancer used his major charge, some of the energy leaked off into unnatural effects. Those people just happened to be dead in the wrong place. That's perfectly likely, and the zombies are a believeable result of leaked thanatomancy energy. Or, maybe a thanatomancer (or ritualist, or what have you) used a spell or ritual that transferred his mind into a corpse - much like the urbanomancer spells for using pigeons - and somehow got stuck. He's hoping that another thanatomancer will be able to undo the magic. I don't know whether you want intelligent or mindless dead, though; I don't know the original CoC adventure. But, whatever you want, there's a possible explanation. Remember, magic doesn't always do what it's supposed to do.

 - FAR out