Jiangshi
Added 2022-01-16 19:01:00 +0000 UTCThis is a real fun one: the Jiangshi is a ghoul or zombie that can only move by hopping due to its rigor mortis, often characterized as a vampire. Rather than blood, the jiangshi drains the pure animating magic of life from its victims. The fun of a jiangshi is in its unique movement, and the fact that it's a vampire that wants to beat your ass rather than drain your blood.
Taoists priests in Qing era China were often contracted to transport the bodies of those who had moved to the city for work home to their families, and often did so with the bodies suspended upright on bamboo poles. From a distance, the flexing of the bamboo made it appear the corpses were hopping, thus birthing the legend of the necromancer priest and his hopping vampire servant. Or at least, that's what wikipedia says that this website says, though I can't find anything to confirm that.
I've included a CR 8 version to spook your players with, and a CR 3 version so that the necromancer players out there have another option besides the Wight to make with an upcast Create Undead, or so your priest villain can have some unique minions.
Clips from "Mr. Vampire 4: Uncle Vampire"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApAUpmd4WNM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ef-_pKoCAUE
