Crossed Bones
Lesser Dead
Dead by Violence
A pirate is killed while chasing after plunder, cut down by the Imperial Navy or betrayed by his fellows. His greed is so great that death has no hold on him. He desires treasures beyond measure, and there is no fortune in Lethe. He drags himself out of his shallow grave or claws his way ashore, and dead-but-dreaming-of-gold he sets sail once more.
Crossed bones are the ghosts of desperate, greedy men whose lives were stolen by violence. Deprived of that vital treasure, they seek their fortune after death, hoping through the accumulation of wealth to replace the life they lost. Their greed is such that they refuse to let go of material form, and so they quickly acquire skill in animating corpses - usually starting with their own. This protects them from the hateful sun and the befuddling moon, and their greed leads them to drape themselves in fine clothing and jewelry they steal. Crossed bones are dandies and are often found in rotting sea-coats bedecked with golden braid and fine silks. Still, they do not forget that wealth is born of violence and so hooks, cutlasses and boarding sabres are never far from hand.
Some crossed bones find others of their kind, manning vessels and forming ships of the dead. These hulks need no food and no water, and sail endlessly, taking slaves, plundering towns and attacking other vessels for treasure and repair parts alike. Others of these ghosts join with those among the living who feel the same greed in their hearts, and many of these ghosts can be found among the ranks of the ancestor-cultist pirates of the Weeping Fen. Others still leave Creation behind and take up their bloody trade on the Rivers of the Underworld. They are more than willing to serve as privateers for any power if suitably paid, for their greed drives them on and keeps them from sweet Lethe.
Necromancers call upon crossed bones to be sailors and to fight for them. They find it very easy to assume material form, able to inhabit fresh corpses and fleshless skeletons alike. Of a particular note, their greed makes them relatively trustworthy if unbound, for they will only betray their master if they are offered more money. Many a black-hearted captain has considered this a worthwhile deal, to get sailors who never sleep, never tire and cannot drown.
Lesser Dead
Dead by Violence
A pirate is killed while chasing after plunder, cut down by the Imperial Navy or betrayed by his fellows. His greed is so great that death has no hold on him. He desires treasures beyond measure, and there is no fortune in Lethe. He drags himself out of his shallow grave or claws his way ashore, and dead-but-dreaming-of-gold he sets sail once more.
Crossed bones are the ghosts of desperate, greedy men whose lives were stolen by violence. Deprived of that vital treasure, they seek their fortune after death, hoping through the accumulation of wealth to replace the life they lost. Their greed is such that they refuse to let go of material form, and so they quickly acquire skill in animating corpses - usually starting with their own. This protects them from the hateful sun and the befuddling moon, and their greed leads them to drape themselves in fine clothing and jewelry they steal. Crossed bones are dandies and are often found in rotting sea-coats bedecked with golden braid and fine silks. Still, they do not forget that wealth is born of violence and so hooks, cutlasses and boarding sabres are never far from hand.
Some crossed bones find others of their kind, manning vessels and forming ships of the dead. These hulks need no food and no water, and sail endlessly, taking slaves, plundering towns and attacking other vessels for treasure and repair parts alike. Others of these ghosts join with those among the living who feel the same greed in their hearts, and many of these ghosts can be found among the ranks of the ancestor-cultist pirates of the Weeping Fen. Others still leave Creation behind and take up their bloody trade on the Rivers of the Underworld. They are more than willing to serve as privateers for any power if suitably paid, for their greed drives them on and keeps them from sweet Lethe.
Necromancers call upon crossed bones to be sailors and to fight for them. They find it very easy to assume material form, able to inhabit fresh corpses and fleshless skeletons alike. Of a particular note, their greed makes them relatively trustworthy if unbound, for they will only betray their master if they are offered more money. Many a black-hearted captain has considered this a worthwhile deal, to get sailors who never sleep, never tire and cannot drown.
