The Phasmovis

 

There is a reasonable progression to things, say the Corpse-Barons of Cantos.

As new technologies and methods of magic are discovered, new kinds of undead follow in short order.

Fire resulted in the shade, a ghost of ashes.

Ritual desiccation gifted the world the mummy, and rites of ancient binding gave forth the vicious wicht.

It stands to reason, then, that Vis, the fuel of the modern age, should gift us with a new bedevilment of the cold and wayward soul.

The Phasmovis

There have been no deliberately created Phasmovis recorded by history. Necromancy is something of a dying art, considering the fact that it is banned and viciously persecuted pretty much everywhere but Ostow and Cantos.

Natural creation of such a creature, however, comes about when one is killed by Vis. The most common death in this manner is the quick, agonising freeze of being bodily immersed in Vis – like four weeks in the cold plains of the Northern Expanse rushing over you in a second. A leaky pipe or a cracked canister results in a wash of glowing blue. All Phasmovis thus recorded have been workers caught in industrial accidents. 

Vis is not a stable substance. It balances between liquid, gas and pure magic, and is more volatile than all three. The Vis-Explosion is a growing terror on the cities of Aclas, and one which creates Phasmovis in great numbers.

A flash of cyan, a screaming hiss like the gates of hell, then slow, quiet snowfall on a summer’s night.

What does the Phasmovis look like? Well, in the manner of magic, it has become an exaggeration. A frostbitten corpse, often hovering about a hand’s width above the earth, leaking rivulets of Vis and huge clouds of freezing vapour. They rarely speak, but often repeat their final screams of agony.

Bruise-black fingers, crusted in frost, snatch out for warmth and life.

This, but Gorier

Stats:         

  DnD 5e
Phasmovis
Medium Undead
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AC – 14
HP – 66
SPEED – 20ft. Fly (Hover)
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STR – 8 (-1)
DEX – 8 (-1)
CON – 16 (+3)
INT – 10 (+0)
WIS – 14 (+2)
CHA – 12 (+1)
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SAVING THROWS – Constitution +6, Wisdom +5
RESISTANCES – Physical, Force
IMMUNITIES – Cold
VULNERABILITIES - Fire
CONDITION IMMUNITIES – Exhausted, Prone, Restrained
SENSES – Darkvision 60ft.
LANGUAGES – Any it spoke in life, although it rarely speaks.
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TRAITS
Unstable Vis Reaction – Any source of Vis that a Phasmovis physically touches (such as the Vis inside your autocar engine, your bullets, or the train engine you’re next to) violently explodes. Small sources of Vis (bullets, canisters) deal 1d6 Force Damage in a 5ft. Sphere, no save. Medium sources (Autocars) deal 4d6 in a 20ft. Sphere. Large Sources (Train Engines, Refinery Canisters) deal 10d6 in a 40ft. Sphere. If it hits the mainline of a Refinery, you may as well wave the city goodbye.
Freezing Vapour – Anyone starting their turn within 5ft. of a Phasmovis takes 2d8 Cold Damage.
Rivulets of Vis – The Phasmovis lets of 60ft. of dim light, in a chilling cyan colour.
Chill of Death - The Phasmovis will always move towards sources of warmth hotter than a human body within 60ft. (Such as a torch, a bonfire, or a tiefling). 
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ACTIONS
 Freezing Grasp – One target within 5ft. must make a DC 15 Strength Save or take 2d8 Cold Damage and have their speed reduced to 0ft. while the Phasmovis is within 15ft.
Scream of Modern Fuel – The Phasmovis screams, and vomits up a stream of glowing Vis in a 30ft. Cone. 3d8 Cold Damage, 3d8 Force Damage, those in the cone can make a DC15 Dex Save to half.
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5e Statblocks really are fucking huge aren't they?

    GLOG:

Lvl 4 Def Leather Freezing Grasp 1d10 
Move slow hover Con 8 Dis freezing 
Freezing Grasp - Anyone hit by the freezing grasp of the Phasmovis cannot move while it is still nearby. 
Unstable Vis Reaction - Any Vis the Phasmovis touches explodes, dealing 1d6 Damage for small sources, 3d6 for medium, and 6d6 for large ones. 
Scream of Modern Fuel - The Phasmovis can blast everything in front of it with ice-cold Vis, dealing 3d6 Points of damage, Save to half. 

Phasmovis are the screaming terrors that haunt the dreams of the Vis Guild, and that institution will pay handsomely for their destruction.