Shadowrath

Shadowraths are made by a sinister artifact, the Bone Diadem. Every one is intelligent, yet while the diadem's wearer is within 100 yards they are completely under its control. They draw life and vigor from everything around them and give nothing back. Left without a master's direction, they always seek out and kill wizards and followers of the goddess of magic, avenging her destruction of the dead god of death during the war of the gods. Any magical or psionic powers a victim had in life vanish when it rises.

Called blackbones, these look like skeletons of pure black, with only their eye sockets lit by a deadly red glow. They are the victims of the diadem's ray of undeath. Ordinary gear is consumed when they rise, while magic items fall away or are gathered for the diadem's owner. They keep their intelligence, follow complex orders, and serve the wearer willingly until destroyed. Some don clothes as disguise, but most normal cloth rots and falls to pieces after long contact with them.

Their chilling touch deals 1-6 damage, and a failed save vs. death magic costs the victim 1 point of Strength, recovered at one point per hour. A creature reduced to zero Strength dies beyond any recovery, even by wish. Normal and silver weapons cannot harm them, and they are turned as ghasts.

These are victims of the diadem's other great power, the dead god's hand. A greater shadowrath keeps its old intelligence and appearance, down to clothes, armor and equipment, but it has no eyes, organs or bones; crackling black negative energy fills it and shows in its eye sockets, open mouth and any wounds. It can use all its old gear except magic opposed to its new alignment, but it is mute and so cannot trigger items that need command words.

Its touch deals 2-8 (2d4) damage and drains one experience level on a failed save vs. death magic; anyone drained of all levels dies a permanent death. Priests turn them as mummies. They serve as bodyguards and enforcers for the wearer, sometimes leading bands of lesser shadowraths on hard missions. Swathed in thick hooded cloaks to hide the telltale energy, they can approach victims unnoticed and pass for the people they once were.