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UNDEAD SLAYER

ARCHETYPE

Anywhere undead prey upon the living, some brave souls make it their mission to destroy the monsters. Many adventurers are skilled at dispatching undead, but you go a step further. You study them, learn their weaknesses, and master the tools to end them quickly and cleanly. An undead slayer doesn’t simply kill monsters; they become what even monsters fear. Leave it to others to be a shield—you become the blade that strikes evil at its heart. You can identify the common types of undead by sight. You drill and practice with the special gear necessary to destroy some of the more complicated undead, like vampires; train in their strengths and weaknesses; and learn how to create safe houses to stash your arsenal and hide from undead.

Some undead slayers work at the behest of an organization to exterminate the undead of a particular region, but many act independently, or in a group of like-minded adventurers. Were you called by a higher power? Are you on a personal quest for vengeance? Whatever the reason, you now walk a path that will take you to the vilest dens of rot and decay.

UNDEAD SLAYERS IN THE INNER SEA

Just as undead stalk prey across the world, undead slayers wander every land in the Inner Sea region, seeking to end the threat and keep people safe. Organizations such as the Knights of Lastwall or the militant anti-undead Pharasmin sect called the Voices of the Spire count many undead slayers within their ranks, and thus undead slayers are particularly common in places where forces of those organizations fight undead, such as the Gravelands and Ustalav. Many undead hunting organizations are described in more detail on pages 14–15.

The occupation of undead slayer is illegal in Geb, where the undead citizenry see the title as something similar to declaring oneself a serial killer. Nonetheless, a few undead slayers manage to ply their trade in Geb and avoid retribution by reluctantly marketing themselves as assassins specialized in eliminating undead rivals. Still other undead slayers in Geb simply keep hidden and continue their hunts in secret.

Undead slayers are able to operate more easily in the city of Mzali in the Mwangi Expanse, despite the city being ruled by the mummy god-king Walkena and guarded by Walkena’s undead servants. Nonetheless, Walkena doesn’t control every undead in the region or offer them citizenship like in Geb, so undead slayers can ply their trade. Those who wish to assist the rebel group known as the Bright Lions should tread lightly, however, as known undead slayers are the first suspects if any of Walkena’s undead guardians perish.

With the conflict between the nations of Geb and Nex, Nex is only too happy to host as many undead slayers as possible within their borders, particularly the warmongers among the ruling Arclords, who want to be ready for the end of their tenuous peace. Yet most prefer not to hasten the hostilities, finding means to support undead slayers more subtly, rather than vocally condoning or promoting them. Grant programs or financial incentives just happen to go to undead slayers instead of other applicants.

Ustalav is home to undead slayers of many kinds, from wandering mercenaries taking on jobs for coin to aristocratic bloodlines that have been hunting undead for generations. Given that undead could lurk disguised in society, these slayers often disguise their trade. Aristocratic ones in particular keep a different trade public, with the undead slaying a more personal source of familial pride. On the border of Virlych, undead slayers protect the residents of the other regions safe from undead predators that escape the gloomy land.

TABLE 1: UNDEAD SLAYER FEATS
Feat Names Level Skill
Feat		 Benefits
Undead Slayer DedicationBD 2 – Your training has prepared you to recognize most undead on sight.
Blessed MedicineBD 4 ✓ Your experience battling undead has uniquely prepared you to fight the diseases they inflict on the survivors, and you know that leaving these maladies untreated for long will eventually lead to more undead.
Hunter’s SanctumBD 4 – You establish a safe house where you can prepare for your hunt.
Necromantic ResistanceBD 4 – As part of your training, you’ve inured yourself against necromancy through grueling, repeated exposure.
Slayer’s StrikeBD 4 – You’ve dedicated yourself to studying ancient techniques and memorized minor prayers against undead to swiftly dispatch them.
Frighten UndeadBD 6 – Your very presence chills creatures of the night down to their core and you can use the spiritual power and faithful life force of religious verses to frighten even mindless undead.
Gear UpBD 6 – Whether it’s wooden stakes, holy water, or more unusual tools, you always have just the right thing to handle an undead’s unusual weaknesses and vulnerabilities.
Slayer’s BlessingBD 8 – You carry scraps of materials dangerous to undead and can apply them to your weapon.
Slayer’s PresenceBD 10 – Your very presence strikes fear into the undead.