In the 1943 issue of Feature Comics #66, The Corpse (secretly Slick Murdock) is a classic Golden Age "undead" villain who serves as a perfect foil for a Victorious RPG campaign—especially for street-level heroes or those dealing with supernatural threats. This entry picks right up from MJL's The Shield aka The Iron Clad Shield NPC For For The Victorious Rpg & The Belle Ãpoque Role Playing Game
Below is a breakdown of the character and a conversion of his abilities into the Victorious (SIEGE Engine) system.
Character Bio: The Corpse (Slick Murdock)
Origin: Slick Murdock was a career criminal executed in the electric chair in 1939.
Through unexplained (likely pseudo-scientific or occult) means, he returned to life in 1943 to seek revenge on the judge and jury who convicted him. Appearance: He possesses a gaunt, pallid complexion and wears a high-collared dark suit, looking every bit the walking dead.
Modus Operandi: He uses a unique "Rigor Mortis Ray" and his own touch to freeze his victims in place, mimicking the stiffness of death.
Victorious RPG Stats (Recommended)
Class: Supernatural Villain
Level: 4-5 (Adjust based on party size)
Attributes
Strength: 14 (+1)
Dexterity: 10 (0)
Constitution: 18 (+3) — The resilience of the dead.
Intelligence: 12 (0)
Wisdom: 11 (0)
Charisma: 6 (-1) — Unsettling and ghastly presence.
Powers & Skills
The Touch of the Grave (Paralyzing Touch): On a successful melee hit, the target must make a Constitution Prime save or be paralyzed by instant rigor mortis for $1d6$ rounds.
Rigor Mortis Ray (Ranged Device): The Corpse carries a customized ray gun.
Range: 60 ft.
Effect: Target must save vs. Paralysis or become "stiff as a board" for $2d4$ minutes.
Undead Resilience (Armor/Resistance): Due to his unique state, he ignores 2 points of damage from non-magical physical attacks and is immune to poison, suffocation, and sleep effects.
Grisly Visage (Fear): When first encountered, heroes must make a Wisdom Prime save or suffer a -1 to hit due to the unnatural sight of a walking cadaver.
Plot Hooks for Your Campaign
The Cold Case: A retired judge from the 1930s is found frozen solid in his study. The players are called in when the coroner realizes the "frozen" man is actually still alive, just suffering from supernatural rigor mortis.
Electric Vengeance: The Corpse is targeting the power plant where his execution took place, intending to "overload" the city's grid to bring more "brothers" back from the local cemetery.
As a "Villain of the Week," The Corpse works best if you lean into the Noir Horror aesthetic. He’s not a world-ender; he’s a personal, relentless nightmare that keeps coming back until the heroes find out how to "short-circuit" his undead state.
Here is a quick-start guide to running him as a single-session threat:
1. The Hook: "The Frozen City"
The session opens with a series of bizarre reports. People are being found in public spaces—parks, diners, subway platforms—standing perfectly still. They aren't dead; they are conscious and terrified, but their muscles have been turned to "stone" by the Rigor Mortis Ray.
2. The Investigation
The common link? Every victim was part of the legal team that sent Slick Murdock to the chair four years ago.
The Clue: At each scene, a faint smell of ozone and graveyard soil lingers.
The Twist: If the heroes check his grave, they find the casket empty, but the interior is scorched with high-voltage burn marks.
3. The Encounter: "High Voltage Standoff"
The climax should take place somewhere industrial or morbid—an abandoned prison, a rainy cemetery, or a power substation.
Environmental Hazard: Because he was "reanimated" by electricity, The Corpse might be more powerful near active transformers.
Tactics: He’ll use his Ray to thin out the party. If a hero gets too close, he uses his Touch of the Grave.
The Weakness: In Victorious, you can give the heroes a "Science" or "Occult" check to realize that a massive grounding (like forcing him into water or connecting him to a lightning rod) might dissipate the energy keeping his dead cells moving.
Quick "Villain of the Week" Stat Block Modification
To make him feel like a "Boss" for a single session, give him this Reaction Ability:
Electrical Backlash: Once per round, when hit by a metal melee weapon, The Corpse emits a spark. The attacker must make a DEX save or take $1d4$ electrical damage and be knocked back 5 feet.
Opening narration
To set the stage for your session, here is a mood-setting narration you can read to your players. It emphasizes the pulp-horror atmosphere of 1940s Victorious.
The Narrator’s Opening
"The city is a pressure cooker of heat and humidity, but tonight, a sudden, unnatural chill has settled over the West End. The streetlamps flicker and buzz with an erratic rhythm, casting long, jittery shadows against the damp brickwork.
You find yourselves standing before the old courthouse. The heavy bronze doors are ajar, and a silence—deeper than any midnight—hangs in the air. Inside, the scene is a nightmare frozen in time. A beat cop stands mid-stride in the lobby, his hand reaching for a whistle he will never blow. His eyes are wide, darting frantically, but his body is as rigid as a marble statue.
Then, from the darkness of the judicial chambers, you hear it: the heavy, rhythmic thud of a boot that doesn't belong to the living. Thump. Drag. Thump. A man steps into the flickering light. His suit is a pinstriped relic of the late thirties, smelling of mothballs and damp earth. His skin has the sickly, translucent hue of a week-old cadaver, and his eyes glow with a faint, static-blue light. He raises a bulky, brass-rimmed apparatus that hums with the sound of a thousand angry hornets.
He doesn't breathe. He doesn't blink. He only snarls with a voice like grinding gravel:
'The jury gave me the chair... now I’m here to return the favor.'"
A few tips for the GM:
The Sound: Whenever he moves, describe the sound of dry leather stretching or bones clicking.
The Ray: When he fires the Rigor Mortis Ray, describe the beam as a "sickly, pale-green arc of lightning" that smells like a blown fuse.
The stakes: Make sure the frozen victims are visible during the fight. It adds tension if the heroes have to protect a "statue" of a bystander from being knocked over or destroyed during the brawl.
If the heroes manage to drop the undead gangster, they’ll find that his gear is a bizarre mix of 1940s "mad science" and lingering occult energy. In Victorious, these items can serve as powerful tools, though they often come with a "pulp cost."
Here is the loot the heroes can recover from The Corpse:
1. The Rigor Mortis Ray (Prototype)
This is the "crown jewel" of his arsenal. It looks like a modified, oversized Luger with glass vacuum tubes and a copper coil barrel.
Effect: Fires a beam that requires a Ranged Attack roll. On a hit, the target must make a CON Save (at -2 penalty) or be paralyzed for $1d4$ rounds.
The Catch (Victorious Rule): This is experimental tech. On a natural 1 or 2 on the attack roll, the tubes overheat and explode. The user takes $1d6$ electrical damage, and the device is broken until repaired with a Science (Engineering) check and 24 hours of work.
2. The "Dead Man’s Switch" (Zinc Battery)
Slick Murdock carries a heavy, glowing zinc battery in his coat pocket that sustained his reanimation.
Effect: A hero with the Gadgeteer or Magician class can tear this apart to power a base or a vehicle for a month.
One-Time Use: Alternatively, it can be used to "shock" a fallen ally back to life. If used on a character who just hit 0 HP, they are instantly revived with $1d10$ HP, but they suffer a permanent -1 to Charisma as their skin takes on a faint, greyish "Murdock tint."
3. Slick’s Ledger (The "Hit List")
A soot-stained, leather-bound notebook found in his inner breast pocket.
Information: It contains the names of the judge, the prosecutor, and all twelve jurors from his 1939 trial.
The Hook: Three names are crossed out in dark, crusty blood. This gives the heroes a list of people they need to protect, turning the "Villain of the Week" into a high-stakes escort mission for the rest of the night.
4. A Handful of "Ghost Nickels"
In his pockets are several 1939 Jefferson nickels that feel unnaturally cold to the touch.
Effect: These coins act as a one-time Supernatural Shield. If a hero carries one, they gain a +2 bonus to their next saving throw against a fear or death-based effect. Once the save is made, the coin tarnishes instantly and crumbles into black dust.
GM Note: Analyzing the Tech
If your heroes take the Ray Gun back to a laboratory, a successful Intelligence (Science) check might reveal that the technology wasn't built by Murdock himself. This is a great way to transition from a "Villain of the Week" to a larger seasonal arc. Perhaps the gun bears a small, stamped logo of a rival organization or a shadowy scientist like Doctor Mabuse or a Victorious equivalent.
This research report is designed to be handed to a player who spends time in a laboratory or library analyzing the recovered Rigor Mortis Ray. It adds depth to the "Villain of the Week" and hints at a larger world of weird science.
LABORATORY ANALYSIS REPORT: CASE FILE #43-M
Subject: Recovered Directed-Energy Device (Ref: "Murdock Rigor-Ray") Lead Researcher: [Insert Hero Name/NPC] Date: March 14, 1943
I. Technical Construction
The device is an unsettling fusion of standard electronic components and fringe theory. The chassis is a standard 1938 Westinghouse industrial housing, but the internal "cathode" has been replaced with a hand-blown glass vial containing a swirling, phosphorescent gas.
Spectral Signature: Spectrographic analysis reveals the gas is not found on the periodic table. It emits a "cold" radiation that causes organic cellular walls to crystallize instantly upon contact.
The "Murdock" Modification: The trigger mechanism is wired with human hair and dried biological matter, suggesting the device was "tuned" to Slick Murdock's specific necrotic frequency.
II. Functional Mechanism
The weapon does not kill in the traditional sense. Instead, it fires a concentrated burst of Sub-Zero Ionic Energy.
Scientific Observation: "The beam creates a localized stasis field. It doesn't just freeze the muscle; it halts the passage of kinetic time for the individual cells. To the victim, the world stops. To the observer, the victim becomes a statue of grey meat."
III. Anomalies & Warnings
The "Hum": When the device is powered on, anyone within 5 feet reports hearing a sound like distant, rhythmic whispering.
Trace Markings: Upon disassembling the focusing lens, a microscopic engraving was discovered on the interior rim. It is a serial number: [REDACTED] followed by a stylized eagle clutching a gear—the mark of the Ahnenerbe or perhaps a rogue DARPA contractor (depending on your campaign's flavor).
IV. Conclusion
This is not the work of a common street thug. While "Slick" Murdock was the wielder, the mathematical precision required to stabilize the Rigor-Ray suggests a benefactor with a Ph.D. in Reanimation or Temporal Physics.
GM Tactical Note: The "Science" Bonus
If a player successfully studies this report, give them a +1 bonus to Hit or Save the next time they encounter a "Dead-Tech" weapon, as they now understand the frequency of the energy
To keep the pulp mystery moving, you need a villain who operates in the "grey space" between high-society science and the occult. Since Murdock was a common criminal, his benefactor likely viewed him as a disposable field tester for this horrific technology.
Here are three potential "Shadow Benefactors" tailored for a Victorious campaign:
1. Baroness Von Stasis (The Cold Aristocrat)
A defector from the European conflict, the Baroness is obsessed with "preserving" the world in its most beautiful forms.
The Motive: She provided Murdock with the Ray to see how it performed on living human tissue outside of a controlled lab setting.
The Clue: The "Ghost Nickels" found on Murdock aren't coins—they are actually cooling vents from her private laboratory, stamped with a delicate Edelweiss flower.
2. Dr. Thaddeus Zwerg (The "Consulting" Mortician)
A disgraced medical examiner for the city who grew tired of the dead not talking back. He operates out of a hidden lab beneath a local crematorium.
The Motive: Zwerg needed a "debt collector" to bring him fresh, paralyzed specimens for his reanimation experiments. Murdock was his first successful "re-start."
The Clue: The human hair used to wire the Ray Gun's trigger matches the DNA of a missing socialite reported in the newspapers three weeks ago.
3. The "Silent Partner" (The Corporate Shadow)
A representative from Empire Galvanic Corp, a massive utility company that recently won the city's contract to modernize the electric chair.
The Motive: They are developing "Non-Lethal Riot Control" for the government and used Murdock as a prototype for a "Stasis Field." If the heroes dig too deep, Empire Galvanic will use their political influence to have the heroes' licenses revoked or their headquarters "inspected" for fire hazards.
The Clue: The battery recovered from Murdock has a patent number that traces back to a subsidiary of Empire Galvanic.
Integrating the Benefactor
You can reveal the benefactor in the session's epilogue. As the heroes are cleaning up the courthouse, they might spot a black sedan idling across the street. A figure in the back seat—wearing tinted spectacles—briefly scribbles in a notebook before the car speeds away, leaving only the smell of ozone in the air.
Since the Rigor Mortis Ray feels like a perversion of medical science, Dr. Thaddeus Zwerg makes for a chilling long-term antagonist. He is a "Gothic Scientist" who views the city as a giant petri dish.
THREAT DOSSIER: Dr. Thaddeus Zwerg
Alias: The Consulting Mortician / The Sculptor of Stillness Threat Level: High (Strategic/Mastermind) Base of Operations: Hidden sub-level of the Eternal Rest Crematorium & Funeral Home.
Background
Once the city’s most brilliant Chief Medical Examiner, Zwerg was dismissed after the "Grey Lady Scandal," where several cadavers were found to have been "re-wired" with copper nervous systems. He believes that death is simply a design flaw—a "mechanical failure" that can be patched with the right combination of high-voltage galvanism and alchemical preservatives.
Personality
Zwerg is soft-spoken, fastidious, and disturbingly polite. He views heroes not as enemies, but as "fascinating biological engines" that he would dearly love to disassemble and study while they are still running.
Victorious RPG Stats
Class: Gadgeteer / Magician (Dual-Threat)
Key Attributes: Intelligence 19 (+4), Wisdom 16 (+2).
Signature Power: "The Master’s Remote"
Zwerg can "overload" any of his creations (like the Rigor-Ray or reanimated thugs) within 100 feet. He can cause them to explode in a burst of necrotic energy or grant them a temporary surge of Strength.
Defense: "Formaldehyde Fog"
As a reaction, Zwerg can trigger a vent in his suit that fills a 10ft radius with pungent, stinging gas. This creates Total Concealment and forces a CON Save or the heroes suffer a -4 to all rolls for 2 rounds due to choking.
The "Zwerg" Arc: The Next Steps
If your heroes pursue the clues from Slick Murdock, here is how the "Villain of the Week" evolves into a campaign:
The Body Snatchers: Heroes discover that high-profile graves are being emptied, but the jewelry is left behind—only the most "athletic" skeletons are missing.
The Galvanic Golems: Zwerg begins sending "improved" versions of Murdock—men with metal plates bolted to their skulls and batteries wired into their chests—to retrieve rare chemicals.
The Grand Design: Zwerg’s ultimate goal is to "Freeze" the city’s heart. He plans to use the city's central power station to pulse a massive Rigor-Field across the business district, turning thousands of citizens into permanent, conscious statues for his "Living Museum."
A Tool for the GM
Zwerg’s Calling Card: Whenever the heroes stop one of his minions, they find a small, sterilized surgical scalpel pinned to a nearby wall. Wrapped around the handle is a note written in elegant calligraphy: "Your heart rate was quite impressive tonight. I look forward to measuring it from the inside."
In the wake of Slick Murdock's defeat, Dr. Zwerg realizes that "street thugs" lack the durability required for his experiments. He moves on to his next phase: the Galvanic Golem. These are not shambling zombies, but precisely engineered "corpse-constructs" designed to act as heavy shock troops.
Minion Profile: The Galvanic Golem
Classification: Rank-and-File Supernatural Construct
Level: 3 (Usually encountered in pairs)
Attributes
Strength: 18 (+3) — Hydraulic-assisted muscle fiber.
Dexterity: 8 (-1) — Heavy and deliberate movements.
Constitution: 20 (+4) — Physically tireless.
Intelligence: 4 (-3) — Follows basic commands only.
Combat Stats
Armor Class: 16 (Dull metal plates bolted over vital areas).
Hit Points: High (approx. 25–30 HP).
Attack: Slam +5 (1d10+3 damage).
Unique Powers & Traits
Arc-Leash (Passive): The Golem is powered by a visible copper coil on its spine. If a hero hits the Golem with a metal weapon, they must make a DEX Save or take $1d4$ electrical damage from the "leakage."
Stiff Resilience: Immune to Mind-Control, Fear, Poison, and Critical Hits (they have no "vital" organs left).
Unstoppable Momentum: The Golem can move through breakable walls and cover without slowing down. If it moves at least 10 feet before attacking, the target is knocked Prone on a successful hit.
Tactical Hook: The "Zwerg Switch"
If the heroes are winning the fight too easily, Dr. Zwerg can activate a "failsafe" from a remote location.
The Overload: The Golem’s eyes turn from dull red to blinding white. For the next 2 rounds, the Golem gains an extra attack per turn, but it takes $1d6$ damage at the end of each round as its flesh begins to cook from the internal voltage.
The Next Encounter: "The Midnight Delivery"
The heroes receive a tip about a mysterious crate being delivered to the city’s Museum of Natural History.
When they arrive, the crate "unpacks" itself from the inside. The Galvanic Golem steps out, not to kill, but to steal a specific artifact: The Eye of Anubis (or any ancient relic related to the preservation of the dead).
The Twist
The Golem isn't alone. It’s accompanied by a small, flying "Camera-Bot"—a clockwork eye that Dr. Zwerg is using to record the heroes’ fighting styles.
How to defeat it: * The Science Approach: A hero with Engineering can spot the "Spinal Coil." A successful called shot (at -4 to hit) disables the Golem instantly.
The Brute Force: It can be dismantled by heavy damage, but it will "self-destruct" in a 5ft burst of sparks when it reaches 0 HP.
To give your players that classic comic book feeling of a "Job Well Done," here is a newspaper clipping you can present at the end of the session.
You can even print this out or send it to your players as a digital "handout" to mark their transition from street-level mystery solvers to true pulp heroes.
THE CITY GAZETTE
EXTRA! EXTRA! FINAL EDITION Friday, March 26, 1943 — Price: Two Cents
"GHOUL OF THE GALLOWS" DEFEATED!
LOCAL HEROES SMASH UNDEAD REVENGE PLOT
POLICE STUNNED BY "FROZEN" VICTIMS IN COURTHOUSE SIEGE
By Clark Sterling, Gazette Staff Writer
WEST END — The reign of terror sparked by the return of executed felon "Slick" Murdock came to a thunderous conclusion last night. In a daring midnight raid, local mystery men [Insert Hero Names] tracked the high-voltage horror to a hidden laboratory beneath the Eternal Rest Crematorium.
Police Chief O'Malley confirmed this morning that Murdock—previously thought deceased following his 1939 encounter with the State Electric Chair—was neutralized by the heroic team after a pitched battle involving "unnatural science" and mechanical monsters.
THE STATUES BREATHE AGAIN City Hospital staff report that the victims of Murdock's "Rigor Mortis Ray" have begun to thaw. Dr. Aris Thorne, head of Pathology, called the recovery a "medical miracle," though many victims still report a lingering "pins-and-needles" sensation and an inexplicable fear of pinstriped suits.
A SHADOW OVER THE CITY While the immediate threat of Murdock has been buried once more, authorities are tight-lipped regarding the "Mastermind" behind the tech. Rumors of a "Doctor Zwerg" continue to circulate, but the lab was reportedly found empty of all but scorched blueprints and empty pews.
"This city owes those masked wonders a debt," Chief O'Malley told the Gazette. "But I’d still like to see their permits for those gadgets."
Session Rewards (The Victorious Tally)
The Murdock Milestone: 500 XP (For stopping the "Corpse" and saving the Jurors).
The Zwerg Trail: 250 XP (For uncovering the hidden lab and the blueprints).
The "Statue" Save: 100 XP (Bonus for ensuring no frozen civilians were shattered during the fight).
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