Homebrew Ancient Undead Species Details

The immortal nature of Liches and the undead rarely fulfills its promises. Most such creatures fall to violence, time, perhaps even some divine or arcane end. Only a few have truly endured, driven by some innate will to persist through countless lifetimes. Even those that still "live" are mostly found in a deep slumber in some forgotten and wretched place, and the wise will leave them undisturbed. They are feared to be powerful and vengeful beyond imagining and nothing but a darkness to this world.

When encountered their bodies are shriveled and blackened, as if totally devoid of moisture. Age, complexion, sex, and almost any other identifying details have been lost to time.  Only those rare few who come to actually know one of these entities can identify one from another,  or from a corpse, as so little remains attached to their bones. Their eyes, if you can call them that, are glowing points of light in a hollow socket, that shine and dim with their gaze. While a individual may come from almost many living races time has taken away almost any sign of what form they once took. Many do not remember a time before their death. Most terrifying of all is their voice, a rattling cold wind that escapes their bones, forced out by phantom muscles. The result is a terrifying whisper that carries farther and louder than seems natural, and brings a shudder to the bravest of souls.

Their temperament is elusive, few have endured this far and their appearance and reputation has driven away even the most curious of souls. Their reputation is well earned though, many are outright mad as time has rotted their minds. Such examples are universally hostile to the living. Even the sane ancients tend to answer all with aggression, as they dislike being awoken and many have little but envy or spite for the living. Those that can be reasoned with, and they do exist, are quiet, brooding and detached from the world that ages around them. While these beings often hold great intelligence and knowledge their minds appear slowed by time and gaps have formed in their impressive memories.. Their greatest trait is an indomitable will, through which they have achieved their unending existence. Whatever force drives them is not mealy magic but some twisted power of the divine. They continue, striving on towards some lofty purpose old it may be forgotten. That or stubbornness. Whatever it may be is totally alien to the current world and it's unrecommend to press them on their ambitions

Ancient Undead Traits

Time has both given and taken from these fallen creatures. Their detachment from the needs of the living, boundless experience and innate magics provide tremendous power, but came at a cost and has left scars that can easily be their undoing.

Ability Score Changes

+2 to Constitution, +1 to Wisdom. -1 from Dexterity and Strength

Alignment

The vast majority of these undead horrors are unquestionably evil. However rumors persist of lawful good figures cursed into undeath, and powerful, neutral, beings too stubborn to die.

Language

Can speak, read, write and comprehend Undercommon and Abyssal

Superior Darkvision

You can see in dim light within 120 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can discern color in darkness.

Animated Corpse

The body is technically dead, so requires no food, resists poison, bleeding and disease and does not need to breathe. However it has no ability to passively heal itself with time or reproduce. They can still suffer exhaustion.

Horrific Presence

Gain a bonus to Intimidation checks. Face a penalty with Charisma checks against holy individuals.

Familiar with Death

You only require 2 successful or failed death saving throws.