Grave Risen

This rotting, worm-ridden corpse is draped in tattered and loosely fitting rags and dented and armor. Blackened eye sockets serve as its eyes, and the stench of death clings to its body. Its nails are long and filthy, caked with dirt and soil from the grave.

Grave Risen CR 4

XP 1,200
CE Medium undead
hp 42 (5d8+15 plus 5)
Fort +4; Ref +3; Will +6
Melee 2 claws +6 (1d4+2 plus blood poisoning)
Base Atk +3; CMB +5; CMD 17
Feats Improved Initiative, Toughness, Weapon Focus (claw)

Environment any
Organization solitary or troupe (1 grave risen plus 2â5 zombies)
Treasure none

Grave risen are rotting undead creatures that upon first glance resemble zombies. They are created from a normal corpse in an area where the blood of a spellcaster is spilled and permeates the ground. The blood fuses with a corpse which sometimes animates as a grave risen. These creatures rarely wander far from the area where they were risen, preferring the stench of death and the serenity of death that lingers in the air. Grave risen have no love for the living and attack living creatures on sight. Living creatures slain by a grave risen are clawed and mutilated and then buried in a shallow grave by the grave risen as a mockery of its own current existence.

Grave risen do not speak or communicate; only occasionally loosing guttural tones from their rotting vocal organs.

Since grave risen are rarely encountered anywhere but cemeteries, burial grounds, or the like, they usually begin combat by animating corpses and sending them against their aggressors. After animating corpses, the grave risen attempts to down its foes with its filthy claws. Slain foes are destroyed (as detailed above) and are not consumed by a grave risen.