One of the most curious obsessions that necromancy has is the fascination with animating individual body parts without some kind of unifying structure, namely, a torso, to connect chem. While a floating head may not be a combat effective as an axe-wielding skeleton or as good at manual labor as a zombie, these “spare parts” given life have uses all their own.

The disembodied pan typically serves some ghost or a practitioner of magic, but it can also be found in areas where mass risings of the dead occur; since not all corpses that rise from their graves are intact, a horde of the walking dead may be accompanied by a slew of disembodied parts. Additionally, a persistent zombie or skeleton that’s chopped up may still have limbs that can yet function, even if the body or skull is destroyed. Nonetheless, these examples are not as intelligent or purposeful as those under the control of a necromancer or spirit: They simply attack anything living they can find.

A hand, foot, arm, leg, or head that can move on its own through some mystical force generally must use its natural cools, such as fingers or toes, to actually gee anywhere by crawling or hopping. In some cases, these disembodied parts may have the ability to levitate; thus they can fly at low altitudes of a few feet. This often happens when some kind of poltergeist possesses the extremity, bur a talented spellcaster may give his creations this power as well.

Aside from the floating or “hopping” head, all disembodied parts have one fundamental drawback: a lack of senses. The common animated hand, a favorite lab assistant to the necromancer, has no sense of sight, hearing, smell, or taste. Instead, they have a rudimentary sense that allows them to understand spatial differences so that they can navigate, detect threats, and distinguish the nature of many objects. This ability does have limitations; for instance, a painting may be unique to the disembodied hand due to texture and brush stroke, but a photograph is basically just a glossy piece of paper. Moreover, most disembodied hands can follow the orders of their masters but not understand conversation. Thus, they makes good thieves but poor spies.

Of course, from the necromantic point of view, a disembodied limb is a cheap minion as it requires less magic to create and uses up many of the pans that are left over from their other experiments. Parts other than the limbs and head could be animated, but largely they are just created as dirty jokes and have little practical value. Necromancers have a very odd sense of humor.

Typical Disembodied Part

Reflexes 3D: brawling 4D, dodge 5D+2, melee combat 3D+2, sneak 4D+2

Coordination 2D

Physique 2D+2: running 3D, stamina 3D

Knowledge 1D

Perception 2D: hide 5D, search 3D

Presence 1D: intimidation 4D

Strength Damage: 1D

Move: 5

Fate Points: 0

Character Points: 0

Body Points: 18

Wound levels: 3

Natural Abilities: spatial awareness; immunity to poison, effects of pain, and mental attacks or abilities; slow levitation (generally only in heads); small size (scale value 2 to 4)