Mummy (Guardian, Pharaoh)

You'd be hard-pressed to find a creature with more readily available pop culture references than the Mummy. The classic black and white monster movies of the past come to mind, though today many of us may think more recently back to the likes of Brendan Fraser's adventures in Egypt.

Regardless of where you draw your inspiration, I invite you to consider other ways you might use the theme of a mummy. The Bestiary equips the enterprising GM with both the Mummy Guardian and the Mummy Pharaoh (though I also invite you to look at the Bog Mummy from Bestiary Two for a different feel).

Dungeons are classics for the deployment of a mummy as a combat encounter, though I would say that there are many other opportunities for the use of a mummy both in combat and overall in the world. Consider what kind of other societies you may create in your world that would practice the art of mummification (both the kind that yields the undead or otherwise). Lesser-known mummies such as the Chinchorro of South America or the Buddhist Mummies can provide other perspectives for the practice of mummification.

To the degree that you may decide to use a mummy, consider customization of their abilities given the alternate environment (if any) that one might find an undead adversary in. The Pharaoh is quite well equipped with additional abilities themed after the classic mummy, and can serve as a good template to really make it your own.

- Reece  

Hook 1 (Max) - Laid Here Beside You

The Great Archon was a wise and just ruler who took good care of his subjects, making sure they had everything they needed. Alas, his domain is but a wasteland now.

It began when his wife fell ill; no doctor or priest could find a way to help her and she withered away slowly but surely. The Archon looked on helplessly, stricken by grief and rage against the gods' cruel whims. He started looking for other ways to save the love of his life while his kingdom fell into disrepair from his lack of attention.

That is when an old man appeared in his palace, offering him a solution. He would be able to save his wife and make her live forever with him. The means were dark and ominous, but he agreed. At this point, the people were outraged by the Archon's lack of care and stormed his grand fortress. With the ritual underway, he rallied his remaining soldiers to defend the castle while the wizard conducted his rite. Blood stained the steps of his magnificent city as he fell into a frenzy and struck down his own people.

When he returned stained with the blood of his citizens, the old mage showed him his wife, turned into a vile undead, devoid of both beauty and mind. Overcome with blind rage, he destroyed everyone and everything in his path, beginning with the mage that took his wife.

So now his once proud and bountiful land is a province of vengeful ghosts, as he is the sole survivor. Driven mad, he stalks the ruins, looking for the walking corpse of his beloved queen.

Hook 2 (TJ) - Empire of Endless Suns

Hemet IV, Monarch of the Sun, had glimpsed the future. There in the Fabric of Possibilities, he was promised a place among the stars and a kingdom like no one had ever known. As he reached his middle years, it became increasingly apparent that this future was further off than he would have liked. The chances he would survive to see it in his current lifetime were slim.

Armed with his mortal fear and determined to take this Possibility and make it part of the Truth of the Present, he dove into the Knowledge of the Past. His ancestors, not many generations ago, slowed the Decay of the Knowledge of the dead. In these compounds, in this canopic knowledge, Hemet knew he could keep this Possibility. As he aged he prepared his body, slowing his own Decay. His preparations would also help prevent the exponential Decay of Death, as his ancestors discovered. When it finally came time, all of his innards were lined neatly on shelves around him. Tomes of instruction, penned by his own hand, accompanied him in this resting place. Cool, comforting cloths wound around his body as he drifted off into a deep sleep. The culmination of his final gambit, his Possibility was now in the hands of others.

When those others descended from the stars millennia later, they found Hemet alongside his instructions preserved near perfectly. With great care, they reversed the process and Hemet awoke to find himself among the stars. His Possibility became a Truth of the Present. The first step to becoming the Monarch of Infinite Suns was now complete.

Hook 3 (Nemanja) - Mild-mannered Mummies

A diplomatic mission is having a hard time reconciling the Kingdom of Three Pyramids and the Federation of Fifty Islands. The two states only recently made contact, and things were going pretty well, with talks of a major trade route being established... and then an inquisitor of the Jackal-god visited the Islands.

The Jackal's followers are the watchers of the dead, and one of the major threats they deal with are mummies, which in their homeland are created through invasive means which create inherently evil and violent beings.

In contrast, mummification in the isles is a gentle, spiritual process reserved for the wisest of elders, this process creates uniquely gentle mummies with skin of red clay. These mummies are placed in shrines present all over the islands, and people sometimes visit them to seek guidance.

Of course, the diplomat-priest of the Jackal was not aware of this when he cast a banishing spell on a village's founder—a being who has been guiding his descendants for fifteen generations. The foreign power diplomats present barely managed to save the man's life, but continuing dialogue between the two countries poses a new diplomatic challenge...

Lich

The Lich is an iconic monster, for good reason. It has a great narrative built into it—cheating death through (most often) dubious means for (most often) dubious reasons. So, you have an undead that is extremely hard to kill, is in all likelihood ancient, and possesses knowledge on an unimaginable scale. Not only that, but even if you manage to kill them, they come back as long as their phylactery stays intact.

This is where my gripe with liches comes into play; they have unlimited learning time for all intents and purposes, but for some reason, they are only ever used as pure spellcasters. That doesn't make a lot of sense if you think about it. If you contemplate your setting and a party that goes from level one to level twenty, it doesn't take more than a lifetime to master a specific set of abilities. Like, for instance, spellcasting. Lich has at least several lifetimes to spare. So why wouldn't this undead baddie use it to their advantage and master as many abilities as possible? Yeah, the baseline lich has some neat spells and whatnot, but imagine what would happen if your party charged the bugger expecting to stomp him, only to find that he is even scarier in melee. That's how you get a memorable encounter.

Moving on from their battle prowess, let us think of a good reason for becoming a vile undead. The obvious quest for power or fear of death is low-hanging fruit and doesn't make for too complicated a villain, does it? Maybe they didn't want to become a lich? Perhaps they did it to protect the ones they love? Thought that the dark ritual was the only way to save the world? Liches are always interesting, but there are ways to make them even more so and to make them feel unique. Remember, they are not mindless monsters, they are characters—ones that possess great intellect and knowledge. Make sure they use both.

- Max

Hook 1 (Max) - Do You Doubt Me, Traitor?

There is something foul in the air that permeates the ashen waste that was once called The Blackgrove. A few unfortunate travelers that had to make their way through that wicked place tell stories of two specters locked in eternal combat that brought the land to ruin. Not much is known about them, outside of a few tales passed down amongst the locals. Shrike, the smaller of the two, is so fast that the naked eye can barely register its movements, darting around its adversary. Behemoth on the other hand is a towering warrior who could probably bring down an entire building with a single swing of his blade.

They weren't always like this, although few know the real story. Once upon a time, they were friends, maybe even something more, but they would never admit it to each other's faces. They both were disciples of a powerful magus that had his study there and believed that their work was to better the world. This was not, unfortunately, the case, as their master was looking for a way to make himself immortal. Worse even, he found the secret and decided to test it on one of his students—the one known now as Behemoth—turning him into a vile undead. Mad with rage, he killed his old master, after which Shrike found them. Before any explanation could take place, Shrike struck Behemoth down, not knowing he could no longer be killed and would return soon after.

Once Shrike learned this, they dedicated their entire life to stopping him, not knowing the only thing he wants is to reconcile. They too, much to Behemoth's dismay, discovered the dark ritual needed to become as he has. So now, they are locked in an eternal struggle, filled with heartbreak and bitterness, sure it is the other that's to blame for all this.

It's quite possible that there's no path to rest or solace for them, but hope dies last, doesn't it?

Hook 2 (Nemanja) - The Powderheart Pioneer

Ol' Cragalag was a pioneer in so many ways that listing them all would take more than a night's worth of storytelling. He was among the first to go westward from the Colonies, into the Widelands. He was among the first to carry gunpowder weapons with him, and the first one to discover gunpowder's magical qualities. He was nearly the first one to find a way to use gunpowder to treat diseases were it not for the fact that, by then, his health and strength were already failing him. So, he became the first powder mage to use gunpowder to achieve unholy eternal life.

Now, this boomstick carrying lich controls a piece of territory in the Envadan plains. Those who pass through his territory bearing weapons of old are usually left alone, but anyone with the scent of sulfur to them is hunted, to be captured and interrogated, as the once-great frontiersman unlocks even more secrets of black powder...

Hook 3 (TJ) - The Heart and Soul of the Dwarven Guilds

Tharrum Platefury, head of the Armorsmith's Guild in Uthen, has been around for centuries. Given that dwarves are long-lived in general, seeing little in the way of leadership shakeups doesn't come as a surprise. Tharrum's unique longevity, and the manner in which he hides it, however, aren't common knowledge, even within the Platefury clan.

The Forge of the Steel Kings—the seat of power for Uthenni guilds—has also been around for centuries. The anvil at its center, the Heart of Firststeel, holds a secret key to Tharrum's long life. He often jokes that maintaining his guild and running a country takes his very heart and soul. This is more true than anyone knows.

Tharrum was present when the Heart was cast from Firststeel. He was there the day the comet fell, bringing that alien metal to Tharodros. And there he will remain, so long as his soul remains within the anvil as it has, undisturbed for centuries.

Grim Reaper & Lesser Death

If your party is facing the literal personification of death, then either something has gone terribly wrong or you really like insurmountable odds, both of which are perfectly fine!

So, what do we know about the Grim Reaper? Not much, really, other than the fact that it really dislikes any attempts to elude death's embrace for too long and as such will swiftly hunt down any who attempt to do so. There is no bargaining or pleading with it.

(As a side note, it is possible to draw the ire of the Reaper by merely drawing a specific combination of cards. Something to keep in mind.)

In battle, the Reaper is one scary foe. Its true sight ability allows it to shrug off illusions and deceptions quite easily, which makes hiding a nigh impossible endeavor. While it is undead and has negative healing, Death's Grace allows for it to decide whether or not it counts as undead when targeted by abilities that would have additional effects based on its undead trait, such as positive damage. Status sight is, in essence, a license to be incredibly vicious with how you run the reaper, as it knows the exact status of all its foes, including how close they are to death as it knows their HP and their wounded / dying / doomed conditions. This, in tandem with the constant effects of both haste and see invisibility allow the reaper's statblock to live up to its name.

Aura of Misfortune is a nasty little thing that can quickly result in a death spiral, especially when you consider how often the Reaper forces everyone into save-or-die checks. The Lurking Death reaction pairs well with this, as even ranged attackers must be wary of the aura; there is little safety to be found when within sight of the reaper. The Reaper only has a single type of melee attack - keen scythe - though you'll quickly realize it is more than enough. Not only does it deal a hefty amount of damage, but it also has a real likelihood of instantly killing the character on the spot in the event of a critical hit (remember the Aura of Misfortune?). This not only heals the Reaper for 20 HP, it also has the ability to inflict a stacking doomed status. Should all these sources of death not be enough, finger of death, which it can cast four times, can instantly kill a target that is reduced to 0 hit points. With all this in mind, you should remember that if you are killed by the Grim Reaper, only divine intervention can possibly bring you back.

So, ready for some danse macabre?

Hook 1 (Max) - Do Fear the Reaper

Shrine of Life was one of the most vibrant and prosperous places in the known world, in no small part thanks to the many priests and miracle workers who chose to live there and provide a very much sought-out service - the revival of those who died before their time, be it in battle or in some other manner.

For a long time, things were working out fine for everyone involved, at least until a certain someone observed a big abnormality in the numbers of the recently deceased that passed on into the afterlife. That certain someone was Death, of course. It investigated the source of the irregularities and to say that the Grim Reaper was angered by the findings would be an understatement.

Not long after, disaster after disaster struck the city. It began with plagues that decimated the populace and ended with an attack of a monster horde that appeared seemingly out of nowhere.

For a time, Death was content with its work, though from this point on it kept a far more watchful eye on the souls that by all accounts should be passing into the afterlife. So now whenever someone dies and their spirit fails to meet the Grim Reaper, it is very keen to find the one responsible and teach them a lesson or two about "cheating Death".

Hook 2 (Nemanja) - Death's Prison

In the Manretea Mativ galaxy, death itself has been conquered.

It took coordination from the finest of all five galactic civilizations' mages, scientists, and priests, in addition to help from a strain of a debatably alive though sentient virus. By their combined efforts, The Grim Reaper himself, along with all eleven known lesser deaths, has been teleported to the planet Aad. The entire planet was then surrounded with layers and layers of technological and magical defenses and fail-safes to keep death from ever coming back.

Of course, the group of space explorers from another galaxy that just crash-landed on the planet, tearing through its defensive systems, couldn't have possibly known the entire backstory...

The Grim Reaper, in a rare show of compassion (and perhaps even gratitude), tells the explorers what is about to go down: Fifty billion souls just had their immortality taken from them and, thanks to the interplanetary news relays, will know whose fault it is within the hour. The entire galaxy is about to take every spaceship, speeder bike, and repurposed escape pod to go on a hunt.

Despite the crews' dire circumstances, those fifty billion souls are also several hundred years overdue to die. Another hunt is about to happen as a very agitated Death and its minions start preparing themselves. As it turns out, though, fifty billion is a large order.

So it is decided - if the explorers avoid any mortal wounds while the reaper does its job, this is the last they see of it. If not, what are five more souls for the scythe?

Hook 3 (Reece) - The Immortal Vigil

Deep in the bowels of The City of Many Names, the now-abandoned capital of the long-dead Nagayunari Empire, immortal warriors are said to guard the most wretched and vile secrets that the empire locked away from the eyes of mortal beings. These warriors, sworn to guard that which their empire foolishly thought they could control, have long abandoned the coils of mortality so that their vigil might never end.

Having thwarted many foes from entering the sanctum, the very forces of death hunger for their immortal souls. The leader, known only as First, has spotted the tell-tale sign of the avatar of death itself; The Grim Reaper. Second, the best scout of the four remaining warriors, noticed decrepit sigils and forgotten runes painted throughout the ruins they call home. Lesser deaths have already been seen haunting the outskirts of the ruins they have called home for over a thousand years.

You are the immortal warriors. Death itself comes for you and, should you fall, the vault you have guarded for several lifetimes will be free to fall into the hands of the first intrepid ne'er-do-well stupid enough to open the vault.

Survive.

Graveknight

Graveknights are, in essence, the more physical version of the lich archetype.They are undying anti-paladins whose essence is tied to the unholy armors they don. They are a force to be reckoned with, as they are pretty hard to hit, instantly master any arms they take up, and can summon steeds to carry them into battle. The bestiary also offers some neat alternative abilities, urging GMs to further customize each and every one of them to fit the graveknights' diabolic personalities.

An interesting thing about their entry in the bestiary is that there's no explanation as to how graveknights are created - leaving you plenty of room to get creative and tie them even deeper into your setting's lore.

Hook 1 (Max) - No Rest for the Wicked

Some things are best left buried and ignored. Such is the case with Mord, a valiant knight turned living weapon in the midst of a bloody conflict twixt mortals and demons. He was one of the most ruthless combatants during the war, his name forgotten and erased from all knowledge by those who had created him.

After the war, he was lain to rest, his remains scattered to four winds. Alas, it is never enough to banish an Evil, especially wrought by one's own hand. There were those who remembered, and some who even worshipped the knight. Thus, over generations, they gathered the pieces of his body and armaments, finally conducting a blasphemous ritual to bring this old menace back.

Now, Mord roams the world once more, a silent horror intent on slaughter. Some would mistakenly assume that his mind has left him entirely, a belief not shared by those who would face him in combat. The knight displays an unnerving tactical wit and his hulking size is contrasted by inhuman speed. As if that were not enough, his black armor and his trusty Razor will prove a nightmare for any spellcaster unfortunate enough to find themselves in Mord's vicinity, as they were imbued with ancient protective glyphs that greatly enhance the warrior's resistance and deadliness to all things magic.

Hook 2 (TJ) - The Spectres of The Scorchland

The Verdant Knights of the Expanse moved to defend the elven trenches. Their mission was a simple one: buy time for the oaken siege constructs to move into place in order to break the Aldunnian line. Swords clashed and arrows flew. All around them, warriors died. Still, they pushed forward.

Cresting the hill they'd been instructed to take at all costs, they realized they were surrounded. The rest of their elven brethren were either slain or retreating, the siege engines nowhere in sight. Before them was a battalion or more of winged beasts, riders upon their backs. Worse, these Aldunnian griffon riders armed with what looked to be Utheni explosives. That was impossible. They should have known days in advance if the dwarves had sided with the humans. There was only one possibility: the Verdant Knights had been betrayed. One by one, they fell in a hail of dwarven fire, thrown by human hands.

Now, in what has come to be known as the Scorchlands, the Verdant Knights rise again each night, going through the motions to take the hill. They fight specters and risen bones, pushing off attacks and waiting for the support that will never come. They are forever trapped in the anguish of their betrayal and the impossibility that led to their defeat.

Hook 3 (Nemanja) - The Cult of The Juggernaut

The Juggernaut is a notorious assassin with a pretty unique modus operandi, stemming from the fact that he is a graveknight.

The dreaded killer, known for his crimson-accented black armor, never uses the same host body for an assassination. Instead, his armor is transported via black market channels to his target's location, where it is then donned by one of the many acolytes of his cult. As the armor is donned, the Juggernaut is awakened. Upon completing his mission, he promptly ritually removes the armor, killing the host in the process. This starts anew with each target, though whether the assassinations are in on behalf of some foul purpose, or if the cult is simply looking for ways to sate their god's thirst is hard to say.

Ghoul & Ghast

The Ghoul; a staple of fantasy tabletop gaming for probably as long as the zombie has been a staple of the horror genre. This classic creature at its base can serve as a early challenge for a beginning party. What it lacks in damage it more than makes up for with some debilitating abilities.

Swift Leap, though limited in use, can serve as a reminder to the party fighter that the ghoul is not a mindless creature, as it does not trigger reactions. Consume Flesh doesn't explicitly state that a ghoul can't feast on its fallen allies, and I do recommend doing so when you run it. This tactic adds to the desperate, cannabalistic gruesome behavior that sets them apart from other undead. Ghoul Fever can be a significantly harmful condition, especially given that low level parties are already somewhat strapped for healing; cutting that in half can at the very least severely slow the players down. The added benefit, from a story perspective, is that low level parties may face off against fallen compatriots should they face off and lose against a ghoul pack.

Paralysis is straightforward and, more fortuitously, is something that can make it easier to critically strike players, thereby making up for low innate damage dice.

Combine these factors and the ghoul can be a formidable opponent up through level three. Better yet, the ghoul comes with optional rules for creating ghouls from any living creature. Should you find yourself wanting for options, take a swing at creating a ghoul (or ghast) out of something scarier such as a giant. Perhaps you wish to terrify your players and remind them that your world is not always fun and games. Make a whole ghoul troop or ghoul swarm akin to something out of that scene from World War Z! Terrible movie, awesome inspiration.

The ghoul provides some lasting utility in addition to serving as a great entry level creature to an undead-hunting campaign. Mix and match them with classics like liches and zombies for maximum effect.

Hook 1 (Max) - Ghastly Tragedy

A great tragedy had befallen the local mining town, their shafts collapsed trapping many workers inside. It's been over two weeks and the community still hasn't managed to open the closed passageways; the only sign of life from their efforts is occasionally uncovering a crushed, unrecognizable corpse.

As everyone started to lose hope in the survival of the trapped miners, shadowy figures started stalking the night. Graves in the cemetery have been found dug up at dawn. People are terrified.

What is actually happening? The miners have found a way out, although this was only after nearly succumbing to hunger, thereafter they resorted to desperate measures. They still do not completely grasp the full extent of their transformation, although they are fully aware that they are indeed no longer fully human and, as such, they wish to spare their loved ones from any pain they would no doubt feel upon seeing them in their current state.

Hook 2 (Nemanja) - The Creature of Weissendorf

Entire herds of sheep have been disappearing overnight from the far-off colony of Weissendorf. Those brave enough to follow the massive tracks leading away into the hills easily find the perpetrator; a massive, ghoulified cyclops. While the undead giant is a massive threat on his own, fresh claw marks clearly show that whatever infected him with ghoul fever was at least twice the size. How such a massive predator could hide on the tiny, rocky island Weissendorf lies on is a mystery in and of itself.

Hook 3 (TJ) - Crisis in Haverdale

Nobody in the town of Haverdale knows what to do. Raet, the town surgeon, is deathly ill and will not make it through the night. The bite on his hand has festered rapidly, growing rot at a rate that no one has yet seen. As the men of the town attempted to wrangle the mangy dog menacing Haverdale's streets, several of them, including Raet, were bitten. While some of them recovered, the rabies treatments Raet tried on himself and two others has not improved their condition, and they are now too ill for Raet to devise anything else. The mayor has sent to Kingsport for another surgeon with all haste. Come nightfall, however, it will be too late and Haverdale will have more than a sickly surgeon to worry about...

Ghost Mage & Ghost Commoner

Ghosts, in my opinion, are incredibly straightforward with regards to how they are supposed to be used: They always, always, come with a mystery attached. How that mystery plays out, and how the ghost itself manifests, leave a lot of room for creativity, but the basic setup remains the same.

Further pushing this highly individual approach to ghosts is the fact that they aren't a single stat block - though we are given the commoner and mage variety, ghosts come with a monster making template attached, giving GMs a wide variety of options for making a ghost's stat block a perfect thematic fit for the mystery they come attached to. They are also one of the few creatures that come with alternate conditions to "beat" the encounter baked in; Rejuvenation notes that a ghost only is permanently destroyed when it has been lain to rest. Bear this in mind when utilizing the ghost.

Hook 1 (TJ) - The Stalker of The Dunnhills

Following a particularly catastrophic fire, the trees of the Dunnhills Forest are nothing more than stumps and soot. As for the wildlife, those that could not escape the blaze perished as well, their lingering fear and anguish adding to the oppressive atmosphere of residual heat and devastation. If your path takes you through the scorched remnants of the Dunnhills, you might notice a flicker of movement here and there; ghostly rodents are still going about their previous lives, finding places to hide that exist only in their memories, seeking shelter in canopies that no longer stand. Over several trips, you might notice that the number of these apparitions is dwindling. With the lack of movement underfoot, the forest of yesterday is quiet as a graveyard. All this seems quite natural.

But this is no longer a natural place.

You may no longer see any movement, but the ghostly revenant of a mountain lion, stalking paths only it knew, is running low on mice and rabbits to eat.

So, while you do not see it; it certainly sees you.

Hook 2 (Max) - Unfinished Business

The Jermainn merchant family just can't seem to catch a break. Not long ago their patriarch, a man of considerable skill and wisdom, succumbed to a mysterious illness, only to be followed by an unfortunate accident that struck his only male heir who suffered a substantial blow to his cranium.

Since then the young man changed, considerably so. He has been acting more erratic and, at least according to his mother, far too much like his late father.

Hook 3 (Nemanja) - Finnick's Finale

Finnick the Fickle was a gnome sorcerer who was long ago imprisoned by the mad dero. For a full year he was experimented on with little regard for his life or well-being. Finally, he gave in, and tried to end the agony he was in, using the last reserve of magic left in his body to burn the entire laboratory-prison he was in to the ground, taking his own life in the process.

Alas, it was not to be. Three days later, he rose as a ghost. While the mage has long since slain all of his captives, three copies of the journal accounting the Grand Alchemist's experimentations were passed down to his grandchildren, each of whom now serve as Grand Alchemists of their own conclaves. The spirit will not go to rest until those books are burned down, though a more morally dubious finder might realize those could be pretty valuable to scholars of anatomy or even necromancy...

Dullahan

 The best thing that blogs and articles that existed far before this one did for fantasy RPGs is push forward the idea that encounters with sentient undead shouldn't just be combat - they should each contain a mystery, a fixation, making the why of the fight as interesting as the how.

Regalt of Greevia was a witch-hunter in life. In death, not much has changed- but while his methods were violent in life, he never hurt anyone he believed to be innocent. These days, his infamous catchphrase "Nana, give me your head" is dreaded across the world, as it means torture and even slaughter of anyone who might know anything begins until the witch, hag, or changeling is brought to him for execution. All the while, the warlock who arranged his execution hides his head somewhere halfway across the world...

The Pastor is a dullahan dressed in a priest's black robes who rides across the western plains. Whenever he encounters travelers, he asks them for a confession. Most are swiftly judged - but for some unknown reason, those whose stories are about sins in the service of a greater good are spared.

The Third Inquisition is known for using any means necessary to get results. For instance, years ago they found an undead warrior's severed head, and he has proven to be one of their most valuable assets. Unfortunately, their over reliance on the dullahan comes back to bite them - as the said head turns out to have been a Lich's phylactery the entire time. Coming in conflict with the lich, the choice to destroy the head is obvious - but that means absolutely infuriating the dullahan, who not only is an extremely capable combatant, but also knows far too much of the inquisition's secrets.

Demilich

 Not gonna lie, despite being a fan of big bad stat blocks that give you a lot to work with, this one scares me. Not only is the stat block decently complex, but liches, and in turn demiliches, have been a staple of the hobby far, far before i got into it in the early 2010s. These things have legacy, in amounts i can't truly grasp.
This, funnily enough, translates pretty well into how i believe they should be treated in-game.I think most encounters should have at least a bit of context to them, lest they feel video gamey - but demiliches? Their very existence in an area shapes local myths and legends, disrupts flows of magic and fundamentally affects histories of entire races. 

The heroes of Sorya have never met a foe as ungodly persistent as Nal'Galosh. When they first thwarted his plans, he was but a cult leader who had started delving into necromancy. As he gathered power, both personal and political, they fought his endless hordes of undead - but failed to stop his ascent to lichdom. Years passed, and the heroes trained and prepared to meet their foe for the final time - but it was not to be. While the lich fell to the barbarian Ganur's axe, the huge warrior - agains't the wizard and cleric's urges - took the mighty undead mage's skull as a trophy. Just as they reached Sorya, and were passing an ancient burial ground, the skull suddenly animated, and stuck once more. The fight was long and hard, and claimed Ganur's life, but Nal'Galosh was finally laid to rest.
In the years since, the heroes have become the world's guardians, called against the greatest threats, and drank from the fountain of eternal youth. A hundred and one years after their last encounter, Nal'Galosh somehow returns. With a body of pure negative energy, and legions of shadowy creatures at his command, he wages war once more - and the heroes grow weary.

In their travels across space and time, the crew of the spaceship The Rake encounter a truly bizzare tomb world, orbiting a dying star. The world is littered with thousands, possibly even millions, of small tombs - each and every one containing a skull with bizzare crystal outgrowths. The ship's scans show that the planet is somehow dampening the skull's energy signatures - but surely at least one should be removed for closer research?

In his prime, the Three Sisters of One Tooth served the lich Parafloscus dilligently. In the years since, the once influential undead scholar retreated deeper into his labs to further his alchemical studies, which, over time, resulted in his body devolving into that of a demilich - while his mind wandered off gods know where. The three night hags, who now command the myriad monsters that infest their lord's realm, rarely directly confront intruders - instead, they rely on curiosity being a killer. Indeed, many a grave robber was enticed by a strange, fungus bearing skull laying neatly on the floor of the laboratory, only to learn that the fungal outgrowths indeed trap souls of heroes long forgotten. The hags, in turn, have developed methods of safely stealing the souls from their former master - but that means the undead is mad with spiritual hunger whenever encountered.

Banshee

A gnome king has been poisoned, but the only cure is the fruit of a tree that grows deep within the Wailwell. The Wailwell is the folk name for an ancient elf underlands colony, whose inhabitants got infected by a plague, and when the Elven King of the time found out, he quarantined it, leaving them all to die. Subsequently, many of the settlement's inhabitants rose as accursed banshees, forever wondering the cave-halls of their lost home.
While meeting the banshees head on is not an option, the king's children who are now rushing to help their father know a certain druid weaver, who is said to produce fabric so fine it can muffle the sound of heartbeats...

Green Eire is in disarray. While the initial revolution is a success, the many factions now vying for power aren't making things easy. Lady Morthaus was a mighty drow sorceress who willingly became a banshee after her death, and is one of the last things keeping things even remotely smooth, as all sides fear both her physical and her political power.
Unfortunately for the moot, though, a drow hero recently managed to enact massive reforms, helping drow society abandon their backwards ways and leading them into a brighter future. While this was generally very well recieved among other races, those who personally know the Lady realize that she now feels that the wrongs that made her what she is have finally been righted, and is now considering retreating to whither away in peace.
An unnamed patron, though, who claims to want only what is best for Eire, is offering vast amounts of gold and complete amnesty to those who find a way to wrong the lady again, keeping her ire working for the greater good.

While Banshees born of elves are by far the most common, any fey can turn into one on death. Legends speak of a terrifying Hamadryad banshee in the depths of Arkenwood, who makes all the trees in the forest cry with her. Others, yet, speak of a lonely Satyr who weeps instead of sings, but tramples anyone who dares interrupt him. But even such tales pale in comparison to those of banshees born of wilder fey, such as the elusive Elananx or even the myriad sorts of gremlins.