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{{Creature | {{Creature | ||
|name = Drowned One<br /><small><small>aka</small></small> Sea zombie | |name = Drowned One<br /><small><small>aka</small></small> Sea zombie | ||
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Being the corpses of drowned humans, drowned ones typically look bloated and have discolored flesh dripping with foul water. Their eye-sockets are empty, they have blackened lips, and their tongue frequently protrudes.{{csb|Monstrous Manual|373-374}}{{csb|Greyhawk Adventures|33}} Often their bodies might be encrusted with barnacles and certain aquatic life, such as starfish.{{csb|Ghosts of Saltmarsh|233-235}} | Being the corpses of drowned humans, drowned ones typically look bloated and have discolored flesh dripping with foul water. Their eye-sockets are empty, they have blackened lips, and their tongue frequently protrudes.{{csb|Monstrous Manual|373-374}}{{csb|Greyhawk Adventures|33}} Often their bodies might be encrusted with barnacles and certain aquatic life, such as starfish.{{csb|Ghosts of Saltmarsh|233-235}} | ||
Some | There are some forms of drowned ones who retain some semblance of their abilities in life. Those who were fighters (called '''drowned blades''') are recognizable by carrying and fighting with weapons.{{csb|Ghosts of Saltmarsh|235}} Some, known as '''drowned assassins''', were assassins in life and often wear a simple, makeshift mask of driftwood.{{csb|Ghosts of Saltmarsh|234}} A '''drowned ascetic''' is a risen martial artist, and can be distinguished by its tattered robes and fist-wrappings.{{csb|GoS|233}} A rare form of drowned one, known as a '''drowned master''', have shadowy tentacles in place of their legs and are always tethered to a powerful source of [[magic]]. They often act as a leader of other drowned ones.{{csb|Ghosts of Saltmarsh|235}} | ||
=== Environment === | === Environment === | ||
Latest revision as of 13:21, 15 July 2025
| Drowned One aka Sea zombie | |
|---|---|
 A sea zombie illustrated by Jeff Easley (1990). | |
| General information | |
| Size: | Medium |
| Alignment: | Chaotic evil |
| Type: | Undead |
| Subtype: | Humanoid |
| Patron deity: | Nerull |
| First appearance: | Greyhawk Adventures (1988) |
Drowned ones or sea zombies are undead created from the remains of humans who drowned at sea.[1] Slaves chained to a sinking ship would often arise as sea zombies.[2]
Ecology
Typical physical characteristics
Being the corpses of drowned humans, drowned ones typically look bloated and have discolored flesh dripping with foul water. Their eye-sockets are empty, they have blackened lips, and their tongue frequently protrudes.[1][3] Often their bodies might be encrusted with barnacles and certain aquatic life, such as starfish.[4]
There are some forms of drowned ones who retain some semblance of their abilities in life. Those who were fighters (called drowned blades) are recognizable by carrying and fighting with weapons.[5] Some, known as drowned assassins, were assassins in life and often wear a simple, makeshift mask of driftwood.[6] A drowned ascetic is a risen martial artist, and can be distinguished by its tattered robes and fist-wrappings.[7] A rare form of drowned one, known as a drowned master, have shadowy tentacles in place of their legs and are always tethered to a powerful source of magic. They often act as a leader of other drowned ones.[5]
Environment
Sea zombies are almost always found in bodies of water, most often shallow bodies. They normally only stray as far as 100 yards from water.[1][8] Drowned masters never travel far from the powerful source of magic they are tethered to.[5]
In addition to Oerth[8] drowned ones are found in Ravenloft,[9] particularly in the domain of Draga Salt-Biter.[10]
Behavior
Unlike the standard land-dwelling zombie, sea zombies possess free will and can be rather cunning. They typically harbored hatred towards the living, and it is one of the few things that motivated them.[1][3][8]
Society
Sea zombies are often found to congregate in loose packs.[1][8]
Language
Drowned ones understand the languages they knew in life, but are incapable of speaking them.[4] Whenever they do speak, such as when a sea zombie priest recited the verbal component of a spell, it came out as unintelligible (but still effective) whispers.[1][8]
Religion
Sea zombies are animated by the will Nerull.[1][8]
Relationships
Abilities
Because their bodies are waterlogged, it is difficult to harm sea zombies by means of fire or fire-based magic. They are, however, quite vulnerable to lightning, electricity, and severe cold temperatures.[1][8] Being a form of undead, they are also immune to all forms of poison.[1][8]
On land sea zombies move at a very slow, clumsy and shambling gait, but in water they are very fast swimmers.[1][3] This is not always true of drowned ones, and some do not swim swiftly, instead sinking to the bottom, though they move unimpeded by the water.[4]
Their appearance and the stench of decay from their bodies often causes living creatures within 20ft of them to feel nauseated. The putrid water that drips from their bodies also contains many pathogenic bacteria, which carries a chance of their victims contracting a severe disease[1][3] known as "bluerot".[6]
Magic
Being a form of undead, "drowned ones are immune to sleep, charm spells, illusions, and other types of mind-altering spells."[1] Drowned masters also uniquely possess a form of telepathic link which binds them[4][1] allowing them to instantaneously communicate their thoughts and observations to other drowned ones within 1 mile of them.[4] or in some rare cases, up to 10 miles.[11]
Combat
As many sea zombies are reanimated from the corpses of sailors, they typically wielded weapons common to that profession. Such as belaying pins, clubs, daggers, hooks, and short swords.[1][3] Those who are rogues or assassins in life can often be seen using daggers and crossbows, stealthily skulking around,[6] while those who are martial artists in life are known to use their bare fists. Whatever weapon a drowned one wielded, it is always coated in bluerot.[4]
They are often known to launch attacks upon anchored ships, climbing aboard the vessels and forcing their occupants overboard where they can be dealt with more easily.[1][3][8]
Whenever a priest reanimates as a drowned one, they receive spells from Nerull.[1]
Drowned masters in particular possess several unique abilities. An aura of intense cold radiates off their bodies in a 5ft radius, their tentacles drain positive energy from other creatures and impart negative energy, and they can expel ink in a 30ft cone that is imbued with damaging negative energy. In addition, both their tentacles and ink can potentially infect their foes with the bluerot disease.[5]
History
In Locathah Rising many drowned ones made up the army of Gar Shatterkeel and his Cult of the Crushing Wave.[12][note 1]
Rumors and Legends
Sea zombies have no need to eat flesh, though it it likely they do so "just to strike terror in others."[1][8]
Publishing history
Though their first appearance (listed above) as a monster with statistics is in Greyhawk Adventures, "drowned zombies" are mentioned peripherally in the World of Greyhawk boxed set as being found in the "Jungle of Lost Ships".[13]
Appearances
- Adventures
- "Tammeraut's Fate" in Dungeon #106 (2004) and Ghosts of Saltmarsh (2019)
Gallery
-
by Tom Baxa, (1990). MC5. -
art by Jeff Easley,
Card# 300, 1991 GH Trading Cards -
Card# 620,
1992 GH Trading Cards -
by Shawn Wood (2019). Ghosts of Saltmarsh.
External links
Disclaimer:Any lore presented through the following links does not necessarily adhere to established officially published content, and the views expressed do not necessarily represent the views of the editors of this wiki.
References
Notes
- ↑ Although Locathah Rising is not precisely dated, it is set "a few years" after the events of Princes of the Apocalypse (p. 2).
Citations
- ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Monstrous Manual (1993), p.373-374.
- ↑ Wyrmskull Throne, p.47.
- ↑ a b c d e f Greyhawk Adventures (1988), p.33.
- ↑ a b c d e f Ghosts of Saltmarsh (2019), p.233-235.
- ↑ a b c d Ghosts of Saltmarsh (2019), p.235.
- ↑ a b c Ghosts of Saltmarsh (2019), p.234.
- ↑ Ghosts of Saltmarsh (2019), p.233.
- ↑ a b c d e f g h i j MC5 Monstrous Compendium Greyhawk Adventures Appendix (1990), s.v. Zombie, sea.
- ↑ Monstrous Compendium - Ravenloft Appendices I & II, p.71.
- ↑ RR4 Islands of Terror (1992), p.49.
- ↑ Dungeon #106 (Jan 2004), p.48-50
- ↑ Locathah Rising, p.8.
- ↑ World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting (1983), p.29, Glossography.
Bibliography
- Boucher, Grant, , William W. Connors, Skip Williams, et al. MC5 Monstrous Compendium Greyhawk Adventures Appendix. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1990. Item code TSR2107.
- Vaughn, Greg. "Tammeraut's Fate". Dungeon magazine #106 (vol 18, no.1). Bellevue, WA: Paizo. Jan 2004.
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Encyclopedia Greyhawkania Index
The Encyclopedia Greyhawkania Index (EGI) is based on previous work of Jason Zavoda through '08, continued by numerous other fans. The EGI article has a list of sources, product names, abbreviations, and a link to the full, downloadable index.
| Topic | Type | Description | Product | Page/Card/Image
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drowned Ones | Monster | Reference | SEE Zombie, Sea (Drowned Ones) | |
| Zombie, Sea {Drowned Ones, Drowned} | Monster | Native of: Material Plane, | Dungeon magazine #106 | 48-50 |
| Zombie, Sea {Drowned Ones, Drowned} | Monster | Native of: Material Plane, | Dungeon magazine #114 | 43 |
| Zombie, Sea {Drowned Ones, Drowned} | Monster | Native of: Material Plane, | Greyhawk Adventures | 33, 34 |
| Zombie, Sea {Drowned Ones, Drowned} | Monster | Native of: Material Plane, | Ghosts of Saltmarsh, D&D 5e | 141, 143, 146, 148, 149, 150, 151, 153, 154, 156, 157, 158, 159, 160, 161, 233, 234, 235 |
| Zombie, Sea {Drowned Ones, Drowned} | Monster | Native of: Material Plane, | MC5 Monstrous Compendium Greyhawk Adventures Appendix | Insert (Zombie, Sea), Encounter Tables |
| Zombie, Sea {Drowned Ones, Drowned} | Monster | Native of: Material Plane, | Monstrous Manual, AD&D 2e | 373, 374 |
| Zombie, Sea {Drowned Ones, Drowned} | Monster | Native of: Material Plane, | Monstrous Manual, AD&D 2e (Premium Edition) | 373, 374 |
| Zombie, Sea {Drowned Ones, Drowned} | Monster | Native of: Material Plane, | 1991 TSR Trading Cards - Factory Set | 300 |
| Zombie, Sea {Drowned Ones, Drowned} | Monster | Native of: Material Plane, | 1992 TSR Trading Cards - Gold Set | 620 |
| Zombie, Sea {Drowned Ones, Drowned} | Monster | Native of: Material Plane, | World of Greyhawk boxed set (1983) | 29 |
| Zombie, Sea {Drowned Ones, Drowned} | Monster | Native of: Material Plane, | The Isle of Dread: Original Adventures Reincarnated #02, D&D 5e | 109, 147, 220, 286 |
| Zombie, Sea {Drowned Ones, Drowned} | Monster | Native of: Material Plane, | Monster Manual 3, D&D 3.5e | 46 |