Angreden

The name comes from an old English word for wrath, and it fits. An angreden rises from someone who died cursed, or who held so much hatred in life that the grave could not keep them. The body is bloated and blackened, and the head is grossly oversized.

An angreden fights crudely, battering foes with a club or a rock clutched in its fist. It has the strength of an 18 Strength brute, with the +1 to hit and +2 damage already counted in its statistics. Its touch works like an enfeeblement spell: anyone it hits must save vs. spell or see 25% of their Strength drained away for a time, rounded down. Meeting its eyes is like being struck by a fear spell.

It cannot be put to sleep, charmed or held, and cold, poison, death magic and paralyzation all fail against it. A raise dead spell destroys it outright, and clerics turn it as they would a wight.

Death has not improved its temper. Most angreden wander alone, though a few gather for safety into packs that snarl and squabble endlessly. The creature can be lawful, neutral or chaotic, but it is always evil, existing only to pour mindless rage onto the world. When it is not killing, it smashes whatever it can reach for the pleasure of the damage.

As an optional plot hook, a game master may let an angreden lay a curse as it is destroyed. The curse works like a prophecy and lasts until lifted by remove curse. A dying angreden might snarl 'Horses will die under you,' after which that character cannot ride until freed. An angreden with this power is worth 2,000 XP rather than 1,400.