[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-seo-509807-105":3,"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":81,"doc-detail-509807-en":130},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"ok",{"site_id":7,"language":8,"slug":9,"title":10,"keywords":11,"description":12,"schema_data":13,"social_meta":74,"head_meta":76,"extra_data":78,"updated_unix":80},105,"en","the-ungrateful-dead-expanding-the-ranks-of-the-ghastly-host-ghosts","The Ungrateful Dead - Expanding the ranks of the ghastly host - Ghosts","","An article by Tom Moldvay explores undead as a core horror archetype, linking the term “undead” to Bram Stoker’s Dracula and to broader horror traditions. It explains how undead function in AD&D, emphasizing their simple motivations, evil nature, and the game mechanics of clerics turning the dead. The piece then focuses on classical undead types—especially skeletons, with background, lore-like origins, and roles in adventure design—offering guidance on variations, encounters, and subplot construction.",{"@graph":14,"@context":73},[15,34,56],{"@type":16,"itemListElement":17},"BreadcrumbList",[18,23,27,31],{"item":19,"name":20,"@type":21,"position":22},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",1,{"item":24,"name":25,"@type":21,"position":26},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/","Document",2,{"item":28,"name":29,"@type":21,"position":30},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/comic/","Comic",3,{"item":32,"name":10,"@type":21,"position":33},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/the-ungrateful-dead-expanding-the-ranks-of-the-ghastly-host-ghosts/509807/",4,{"url":32,"name":10,"@type":35,"image":36,"author":41,"headline":10,"publisher":44,"fileFormat":47,"inLanguage":8,"description":12,"dateModified":48,"datePublished":49,"encodingFormat":47,"isAccessibleForFree":50,"interactionStatistic":51},"DigitalDocument",{"url":37,"@type":38,"width":39,"height":40},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/the-ungrateful-dead-expanding-the-ranks-of-the-ghastly-host-ghosts/509807.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":42,"@type":43},"Ezra","Person",{"url":19,"name":45,"@type":46},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-16","2026-10-05",true,{"@type":52,"interactionType":53,"userInteractionCount":55},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":54},"ViewAction",8,{"@type":57,"mainEntity":58},"FAQPage",[59,65,69],{"name":60,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":62},"How did the word “undead” become popular in horror literature?","Question",{"text":63,"@type":64},"The term “undead” was popularized by Bram Stoker in Dracula, where it was used as a synonym for “vampire,” while hinting that other kinds of undead could exist.","Answer",{"name":66,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":67},"What common traits define classical undead in the article?",{"text":68,"@type":64},"Classical undead should be dead by all rights, most have some physical form, and most are hopelessly evil, attacking living beings on sight.",{"name":70,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":71},"How should a Dungeon Master use undead to maximum effect?",{"text":72,"@type":64},"When the game function of a monster is understood, it can be used to maximum effect. The DM can also alter it for surprise value, and use uncertainty and small subplots with clear beginnings and ends.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":32,"og:type":75,"og:title":10,"og:site_name":45,"og:description":12},"article",{"robots":77,"canonical":32},"index,follow",{"doc_id":79,"site_id":7},509807,1791403897,{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":83},"success",[84,88,92,96,100,105,110,114,119,122,126],{"id":22,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":85,"show_sort_weight":86,"slug":87},"Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":26,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":89,"show_sort_weight":90,"slug":91},"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":33,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":93,"show_sort_weight":94,"slug":95},"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":97,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":29,"show_sort_weight":98,"slug":99},5,60,"comic",{"id":101,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":102,"show_sort_weight":103,"slug":104},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":106,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":107,"show_sort_weight":108,"slug":109},7,"Healthcare",40,"healthcare",{"id":55,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":111,"show_sort_weight":112,"slug":113},"Research & Report",30,"research-report",{"id":115,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":116,"show_sort_weight":117,"slug":118},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":117,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":120,"show_sort_weight":117,"slug":121},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":123,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":124,"show_sort_weight":123,"slug":125},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":127,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":128,"show_sort_weight":97,"slug":129},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":131},{"doc_id":79,"user_id":132,"nickname":42,"user_avatar":133,"doc_module":4,"category_id":97,"category_name":29,"doc_title":10,"doc_description":12,"doc_content":134,"file_id":135,"file_url":136,"file_type":137,"file_size":138,"view_count":55,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":22,"is_downloadable":22,"audit_status":22,"page_count":139,"language":140,"language_code":8,"site_id":7,"html_lang":8,"table_of_contents":141,"faqs":142,"seo_title":143,"seo_description":12,"update_tm":144,"read_time":101},1099514068035,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_276721f389ce27ea32af1340a28f341c","by Tom Moldvay  \nThe  \nUngrateful Dead  \nExpanding the ranks of the ghastly host  \nThe term 􀂓undead􀂔 was popularized by Bram Stoker in his novel, Dracula. He used it as a synonym for 􀂓vampire,􀂔 but he implied that there might be other kinds of undead besides the minions of the Count. Vampires in general (and Dracula in particular) have proved a continual source of inspiration for the horror genre [see  \n􀂓Hearts of Darkness,􀂔 from DRAGON® issue \\#126, for more on this topic]. In the proliferation of horror movies, the word 􀂓undead􀂔 came to be used for a variety of monsters, most of which had some connection with vampires.  \nUndead monsters are an essential part of the AD&D® game. For example, the ability of clerics to turn the undead is oneof the prime functions of that class. Undead are frequently encountered in adventures and fit well into nearly any plot, because their motivations are simple and easy to understand 􀂗 they hate the living and seek to destroy all life.  \nIndeed, the undead are the archetypes of monsters. They are evil and deadly, with frightening powers. Their hatreds are unreasoning; their attacks are guaranteed. Characters facing the undead have but two choices: fight or run.  \nThe term 􀂓undead􀂔 literally means 􀂓not dead,􀂔 with the implication that such creatures are also 􀂓not living.􀂔 Undead thus have the semblance of life in that they have bodies but are not truly alive. To provide high-level clerics with foes, the concept of 􀂓undeath􀂔 has been expanded in the AD&D game to include ghostlike creatures from other planes of existence, but even the ghost can semi-materialize to attack by touch.  \nOf the more than 350 monsters in the  \nMonster Manual I and among the other 22 OCTOBER 1988  \ncreatures described in later books, there appear a number of 􀂓classical􀂔 undead, archetypes that form the basis of the entire category of undead monsters. Classical undead have three things in common:  \n1) By all rights, such creatures should be dead; 2) Most such creatures have some sort of physical form; and 3) Most such creatures are hopelessly evil and attack living beings on sight.  \nThis article will examine three of these classical undead in detail: skeletons, zombies, and ghouls. In particular, this article will look at the background of each kind of undead, the function of each undead type in game terms, possible variations on the basic monster listings, and suggestions for adventure subplots.  \nThe background section of each listing will try to answer questions like: What inspired the idea for this monster? Are there traditional myths dealing with this kind of undead? Does the monster appear often in books or movies?  \nIf the Dungeon Master understands the game function of any particular monster, he or she can use the creature to maximum effect. It also becomes easier to alter the monster slightly for its surprise value or design a new creature that serves a similar function. Variety keeps the players guessing; an element of uncertainty keepsan adventure interesting.  \nWhile an entire adventure based on the undead might be too heavily slanted toward the cleric character class, a subplot dealing with the undead fits well into any adventure. (Perhaps the undead haunt a small cemetery or roam a deserted castle tower near the main adventure area.) Subplots should be kept reasonably small, dealing with a half-dozen encounters at  \nmost. The best subplots would be adventures in miniature, each having a logic all its own. Good subplots have their own beginnings and ends, with crises that must be resolved.  \nSkeletons  \nThe skeleton listing is not based on traditional lore and was invented for the game. Skeletons are, however, universal symbols of death and the dead. Skeleton costumes are traditional for Halloween, the night when the dead return to join the living. The Grim Reaper is often depicted as a giant skeleton wielding a scythe. The major arcana card of Death in the tarot deck often shows a skeleton. Skeletons that m","cbCainDdLcgoEF7B","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCainDdLcgoEF7B","pdf",782743,15,"English","# The term “undead” and horror inspiration\n## Undead in AD&D game play\n## Classical undead archetypes\n## Using undead in adventures\n# Skeletons and their lore\n## Animated skeletons and game function\n## Bloody Bones and folklore parallels","[{\"question\":\"How did the word “undead” become popular in horror literature?\",\"answer\":\"The term “undead” was popularized by Bram Stoker in Dracula, where it was used as a synonym for “vampire,” while hinting that other kinds of undead could exist.\"},{\"question\":\"What common traits define classical undead in the article?\",\"answer\":\"Classical undead should be dead by all rights, most have some physical form, and most are hopelessly evil, attacking living beings on sight.\"},{\"question\":\"How should a Dungeon Master use undead to maximum effect?\",\"answer\":\"When the game function of a monster is understood, it can be used to maximum effect. The DM can also alter it for surprise value, and use uncertainty and small subplots with clear beginnings and ends.\"}]","The Ungrateful Dead - Expanding the ranks of the ghastly host - Ghosts | PDF",1791237375]