This spell enables the caster to cause a single dead body to animate and assume the status of a crypt thing. This spell can be cast only in the tomb or grave area the crypt thing is to protect; the spell requires that the caster touch the skull of the subject body. Once animated, the crypt thing remains until destroyed. Only one crypt thing may guard a given tomb.
A successful dispel magic spell returns the crypt thing to its original unanimated state. Attempts to restore the crypt thing before this is done fail for any magic short of a wish.
The reverse of this spell, destroy crypt thing, utterly annihilates any one such being as soon as it is touched by the caster. The target is allowed a saving throw vs. death magic to avoid destruction.
Notes: Very rare spell, used only by evil priests.
Crypt Thing: AC 3; MV 12; HD 6; THAC0 15; #AT 1; Dmg 1d6; SA teleport; SD +1 or better weapons to hit, immune to charm, hold, and sleep, cannot be turned; AL N; Int Very (11-12); SZ M (6' tall); ML Fanatic (17-18); XP 975. The first attack of the crypt thing is to simultaneously teleport each individual member of the intruding group to a random location: 20% each chance of 1d10 x 10' north, south, east, or west; 10% each chance of 1 level up or down. Creatures displace to the nearest open area out of the crypt thing's lair if blocked.