An ancient mariner is the undead spirit of a member of a long-lost evil race that once sailed the phlogiston seas. A true ancient mariner is basically humanoid in appearance that is partially transparent. Its neck is a little too long and its torso is somewhat compressed compared to those of a human. The eyes and jaw bulge out from the face. Its voice is quavery, as if being heard from a great distance. They appear as they did the day they died.

    Combat: They can be turned as wights by priests. Like most undead, ancient mariners are immune to sleep, charm, hold, and cold-based spells. They are immune to any type of mind control spell as well.

    Immunities (Ex): Ancient mariners have cold immunity. They're diaphanous and flowing bodies causes them to take no damage from bludgeoning weapons, be they magical or mundane.

    Incorporeal (Su): Can be harmed only by other incorporeal creatures, +1 or better magical weapons, or magic, with a 50% chance to ignore any damage from a corporeal source. Can pass through solid objects at will, and own attacks pass through armor. Always move silently.

    Level Drain (Su): The chill touch of the ancient mariner inflicts 1d8 points of cold damage and causes the victim to lose one level. As with other undead that use this attack form, this effect reduces the Hit Dice, class bonuses, spell abilities, etc.

    Spawn (Su): Any creature killed by the energy drain of an ancient mariner becomes an mariner shadow with most of the abilities of a normal shadow. The newly formed undead obeys the ancient mariner completely. (Beings killed by these shadows are merely dead, and do not become shadows or any other form of undead.) A mariner shadow retains its former appearance, though it is now partially transparent. The power of the ancient mariner is such that all of the victim's equipment stays with it, becoming ghostly as well, unable to touch or be touched by living hands. The equipment cannot be used by the mariner shadow.

    Undead (Su): Immune to mind-influencing effects, poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning, disease, death effects, and necromantic effects, and they ignore mind-influencing effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, and morale effects). Not subject to critical hits, subdual damage, ability damage or drain, energy drain, or death from massive damage. They have no Constitution scores and are therefore immune to any effect requiring Fortitude save (unless it affects objects).

In the Spheres
    Ancient mariners roam freely in phlogiston. They will not enter a crystal sphere under any circumstances. If more than one ancient mariner is encountered, one of them is the recognized leader and called "Captain" by its crew. If the captain is turned, he orders the entire ship to break off combat and flee.

    Incorporealize Objects (Su):    The greatest power of the ancient mariner captain is to make any object become as insubstantial as the mariner itself. This power requires the captain to "touch" the object and concentrate for a minute. Once the object is changed, any ancient mariner or mariner shadow can handle it. In this way the treasure hoards of ancient mariners are increased. A captain can do this to a spelljamming ship as well, the conversion process takes a full day of concentration. captain can maintain only one ship at a time in this fashion and the ship gains all advantages for being incorporeal.

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©2002 Wizards of the Coast, Inc.

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Ancient Mariner, © 1990 Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
d20™ System, Conversion of Ancient Mariner ©2002, Flits3
Original Source: Monstrous Compendium #7