As many ways as there are to die, there are ways to become a Death Stealer. Each Death Stealer is as unique as any other person, so the stats here are just for those in need of a quick beastie. They should also be taken as examples of the more common or interesting possibilities. As always, players can, should, and will be very creative about implementing such ideas and finding new ones. 

The format for each is that I’ll present them by the common name. This is what most people just call the Death Stealer upon seeing him, and many enjoy the ring of such titles and stick to them. Then, I’ll do an overview of them, provide a blurb on appearance, Life-Taker style, other magic style, and finally some stats that might be common to such a person. There will also be a bit about how the appearance changes for a flawed attunement, called Baneful.

As a bonus, some types will have type-specific spells--usually takes on Gift of the Living--that incorporates their element. Death Stealers are not other magician types, and a Burned Man will never be the match in terms of “fire power” that a Flame Dancer is. Just the same, they do get some elemental tricks to take advantage of their natures. Banes especially will go to great links to mess themselves up for greater power.


The Drowned
Throwing oneself down a well or off a ship is a fairly common way to do it, and it has the advantage of being difficult to take back once you’ve committed to it. On the downside, as far as suicides go, there might be plenty of time to regret the inability to take it back.

Appearance: The Drowned have cyan tinted skin and darkened hair that appears to always lay flat, because it is always wet. Their eyes are usually yellow or pale green, sometimes blue, and they seem to be always crying and wet-eyed. Water flows in thin streams from their eyes, mouth, ears, and nose; it also flows out from their pours like cold sweat, so they always are covered in tepid water. The water drips off them and forms puddles when they stand still too long, and causes them to leave behind wet footprints.

Casting Style: Water, depth, and pressure. Their Life-Taker tends to be done as a strangle hold, or they try to hold the person underwater if a source is nearby. If they punch, it hits like a wave with a wet slap that leaves big bruises. Thief of the Land causes endless downpours and flooding. Thief of the People causes depression and an overwhelming sense of too much pressure.

Baneful: Drowned Banes have bloated bodies that are soaked with water. They leak murky swamp water mixed with blood when cut. Puddles form up faster for them. Their skin is green and mottled with black spots.


The Burned
Dying in fire is uncommon, but not rare. People burned at the stake can qualify for Death Stealer, if they go willingly to the stake. They usually even get the witnesses bonus without effort. Other common starts are burning down your own house, or jumping into a big burning building. In a grim twist, heroic self-sacrifice to save another not only counts, but it gets the Dramatic Ending bonus.

Appearance: The Burned have ashen grey skin, with patches of smoldering charcoals that glow orange. The patches can heal and move to different locations, and are warm, but not burning hot. Their eyes are like two hot black coals, always literally smoking and smoldering. A fine dust of ash and embers falls from their eternally burning bodies, and any clothes they put on quickly char up and turn grey-black with ash.

Casting Style: Heat, dry, and ash. Their Life-Taker is punches that explodes in a small burst of flames, scorching the skin of the target, but not hot enough to light anything on fire unless their clothes are really dry and flammable. Thief of the Land causes drought and heat-waves that sap the land of its vitality. Thief of the People causes folks to grow restless and angry at the never ending heat, moving to violence.

Baneful: Burned Banes have patches of skin that are charred black or bright red. They have more patches of embers, and their charcoal eyes are in full burn, leaving black burning rings of skin around them that is always cracked. Occasionally, the burned skin will flake off to reveal bright red burn tissue that will char up soon and flake off again. When extremely angry during a fight, they sometimes cast a spell that ignites their entire body in flames, making them dangerous to grapple with.

The Charred Man’s Dirge
Intensity: 5
Casting Time: Slow 1
Duration: Width in Rounds
Attunement: Yes, as a Burned Man
Effect: Baneful Burned love this trick, where in the Death Stealer falls to his knees, begs forgiveness for sins, and then ignites in full flames. This nasty spell does 1 Shock damage to all limbs, and would badly scar the skin of a normal person. On a Death Stealer, it just makes them Gruesome (or even more so) until their next Theft of Life, which can be spent to remove the Gruesome flaw instead of gaining a magical charge. The positive side, though, is that you are on fire for a few seconds. Anyone touching you takes 1 Shock and might be set on fire as well. Anyone you grapple takes 1 Shock, in addition to other damage.


The Crimson
In a world of sharp objects, intentional blood-letting is possibly the most common form of suicide. Their slit-wrists and slit-throats bleed out until no life remains in the person. Then they come back as a pale, blood-crazed Death Stealer, who vaguely resemble the vampires of our own myths.

Appearance: The Crimson have very pale skin, almost translucent. Their eyes are bloodshot and tinged red all over. Rivulets of blood fall down their cheeks, from the corners of their mouths, and sometimes from the wounds where they cut themselves. The wounds heal, but they tend to reopen, especially when the Death Stealer is stressed or injured. Blood begets blood. They are not soaked in blood, but blood is always apparent on them, and will stain all their clothing.

Casting Style: Ferocious, bloody, and quick. Life-Taker will often be done with long claws or sharp teeth, which are used to tear out flesh and cause lots of bloodshed. Crimson’s very often have the Cannibal Smile advantage to facilitate this. Theft of Life is often accompanied by blood drinking, which is not required, but the Crimsons gain more satisfaction from that method. Theft of the Land causes trees and animals to grow boils and lesions, which quickly burst with blood or sap. Theft of the People causes similar boils on people instead.

Baneful: Already considered a rather distasteful sort, Baneful Blood-Drinkers are even worse. The skin is tight and even paler, making them look like skeletons wrapped in skin. Remember that most people are dark skinned, so this super-white paleness makes them look especially sick and disturbing. Blood pours out from their eyes, nails, and mouth. Their skin has a tendency to just randomly split and start bleeding as though from a shallow cut.


The Winterlost
A very common death, but a rare suicide, is dying to the elements of the cold and wind. The Winterlost are usually created by people who, feeling lost in their own lives, finally go wandering into the cold night with barely any clothes and full intent to either find themselves or find their ends. Perfectly attuned Winterlosts are even rarer, because it is very difficult to gather up rituals for such a thing. Because actually killing oneself would be considered weak, the long cold walk into oblivion is a more common end to shamed Truils.

Appearance: The Winterlost have cold, blue-tinged skin. Their hands, feet, and other extremities will sometimes be tinged a dark black with frostbite. Their eyes are white or pale blue, and seem frosted over. Patches of frost form on the skin and clothes of the Winterlost. Everywhere they go, snow gently falls down from their bodies onto the ground, seeming to form from thin air around their skin. Their steps and touches can leave cold spots and little patches of frost.

Casting Style: Slow, lost, and cold. Their preferred Life-Taker style is to run up and hug their target, begging them not to go out and be lost. The target will develop patches of frost where being touched, and will feel intensely cold. Theft of the Land causes blizzards and long cold snaps, while Theft of the People chills the hearts of folks. As they grow colder and more isolated, they begin to feel lost to the world. The blizzards raging outside suddenly seem like a good place to find an answer.

Baneful: Baneful Winterlosts, sometimes called Snow Hags or White Ghosts, have frost-covered skin all over. Icicles hang from their bodies, and snow swirls around them in a constant flurry. Their eyes are like brilliant, burning diamonds: fully crystallized. Frostbite is even worse on them. When hurt, they often retreat into Winter’s Tomb.

Winter’s Tomb
Intensity: 6
Casting Time: Slow 2
Duration: Width in Days
Attunement: Yes, as a Winterlost
Effect: The Winterlost are notoriously hard to kill, and it’s due to this spell. When injured, surrounded, or otherwise in immanent danger, they will cross their arms and grab their shoulders (a self-hug) while pleading for safety. Snow will flurry around them briefly, and when it settles, the Winterlost is encased in a hard shell of ice. This hardened icicle coffin has AR 3 against physical damage, and 30 wound boxes. Fire has no effect on it, but magical fire will cut right through it. The Winterlost cannot be harmed while he is encased in the ice, though it will melt after a few days. Hopefully, that’s long enough for attackers to lose interest or for the Winterlost’s friends and servants to rescue him. This spell, naturally, deals 1 Shock to all limbs. That can put an injured Winterlost over the edge into the fullness of the false death, thus the name: Winter’s Tomb.


Further Types
For the next few types, I’m just going to provide a much shortened overview. I don’t want to overload your setting with too many types of undead monster, as these guys are common, but not ubiquitous. Feel free to expand upon them as you see fit, and change whatever you need.


The Raggedy
Method: Buried alive

Appearance: Dirty, with tattered clothes. Has earthen eyes. Trails worms and bugs behind him.

Casting Style: Solidity, stone, corruption of tradition. Hits like a rock, takes by draining the nutrients from the land and the foundations of cultural belief. Causes revolt and rebellion.

Baneful: Skin has worms bursting out of it, always dirty, with muddy boots.


The Vile
Method: Poisoned

Appearance: Sickly looking. Dry, shallow eyes. Trails a miasma that makes people cough.

Casting Style: Illness, decay, pollution. Likes to use poisons and pretend to be caring for the infirmed person, while draining them of life.

Baneful: Looks like walking death, purplish tint to skin. Coughs up blood tinged with green. Miasma cloud is thick and choking.

The Hanged
Method: Hanging, a fairly common end.

Appearance: Head always cocked to the side, skin is always tanned and tight. Has dry, cracked eyes. Creaks when he walks and is followed by a cold drafty wind everywhere.

Casting Style: Winds, birds, and an overwhelming sense of finality. Another one that’s fond of choking.

Baneful: Has an obviously broken neck. Joints crack when walking. Has no eyes, but can see from the empty sockets as though he did.


The Gaunt
Method: Fasting and forced starvation

Appearance: Like the title says, gaunt and thin. Eyes bulge from sockets. Trailed by vermin, who always seem to find him and eat anything nearby.

Casting Style: Hunger, rot, and dissatisfaction. Food will spoil in minutes when he Thieves the Land.

Baneful: Look almost exactly like skeletons, but with skin. Tongue always hangs from mouth. Tend to attract larger, more voracious vermin.