Macroceum (Wermspittle)

Macroceum
No. Enc.: 1d4 (2d6)
Alignment: Chaotic
Movement: 90' (via blink)
Armor Class: 6
Hit Dice: 4
Attacks: 1 (magic weapon or spell)
Damage: 1d6+1/by spell
Save: F4
Morale: 8

Horrid little parasites, the Macroceum are a larval-form of an otherwise unknown otherplanar creature whose life-cycle includes incubating within the bodies of undead. They are known to infest certain forms of mummies, liches and other cadaver-type undead that retain some form of sentience and spell-casting ability.

Necromantic Parasitism
Macroceum attach to their victims by means of a combination of telekinesis and digging into the rotting flesh with their tiny claws. They then burrow into the nearest large clump of undead flesh to lay eggs and bask in the necromantic energies coursing through their host. Over time a Macroceum can gain 1 point of INT or WIS, acquire spell-casting ability, and gain spells by siphoning them away from their host. Thankfully, most Macroceum never survive long enough to gain true sentience and spell-ability as their hosts notice the tell-tale signs of an infestation and use Dispel Ectoplasm or another, similar spell to eliminate the pests.

Patient, Slow-Growing Things
Macroceum gain 1 point of INT or WIS per 1d6 months spent incubating within an undead host. They gain spell-casting ability when they would otherwise qualify as a player character, siphoning off their beginning spells directly from the mind/brain of their host. Even the most inattentive undead will likely notice the loss of spells and thus will usually take suitable counter-measures, unless prevented from doing so by sorcerous bonds, soul manacles or worse things...

Blasphemous Rumors
There are rumors that some Fantomists have taken certain mummies hostage, constrained them with ensorcelled chains or bonds or some sort, and used them to forcibly grow Macroceum into intelligence as part of some mad, unspeakable scheme...

Spell: Clanking Chains

Clanking Chains
Level: 4
Duration: 12 Turns
Range: Touch

The caster shackles an immaterial entity with a set of ectoplasmic fetters that rattle and clank as though they were forged of heavy iron. These chains reduce the target's mobility to 10', prevent them from passing through walls, and restrain them from entering back into the Aethyrial or Ectoplasmic layers.

Fantomists use this spell, or one of its variants, to hobble unruly or recalcitrant spirits that they intend to torment, interrogate or indoctrinate. Others, notably contract necromancers within Puljamru and Ghosteaters out along the Septagoorean Isles, use this spell to trap and capture those spirits that they intend to prey upon or bind to their service. The shamans of the Acephalli of Septagoor are known to have developed a form of this spell that works on living victims, creating ectoplasmic bonds that can imprison a victim despite the immaterial nature of the chains.

Spell: Speak With Dead (Variant)

Speak with Dead
Level: 2
Duration: 2 turns per level of caster
Range: 10'

Whatever spirits of the deceased are within range will be compelled to answer 1-3 questions to the best of their ability. In the hands of a skilled Fantomist, this spell can reveal a great deal, but to a non-Fantomist, it tends to just confuse things and stir up the spirits of the dead who resent being yanked around willy-nilly the way this spell forcibly restrains and constrains them to answer the caster. It is suggested that anyone using this spell have some decent protections and some way to fight off enraged or seriously irate spirits...