Moon Man
The moon is much stronger in the clear, cold nights of the arctic. You can feel its draw when the clouds pull away. Some nights, that pull is somewhat more tangible. Under very specific circumstances, the moon can create avatars of its power on earth.
These circumstances start with the long polar nights these far northern regions experience. Should this long night be clear for a long enough period, the moonlight will begin to work its way into the landscape. Most of the effects of this are known in the south, as they can appear just as well from short-term exposure to the moon. Animals born during this unlucky time are often silver-furred, unnatural “mooncalves” and of course those beings who draw their power from the moon become exponentially more powerful. In particular, this is amazing for the undead of the tundra and taiga, but more on that when it comes to them.
With enough exposure, unliving objects can become animated by a fragment of the moon’s power. This is most common with objects associated with something living. Corpses, dead plant matter, tools or clothing recently used, all of these are most liable to get up and start walking. The newly-formed Moon Man is highly curious, examining anything that catches its attention. It can afford this risky behavior, as it is undead in physiology. Its body lacks any vital organs or, really, any organs whatsoever, and it is fed only by continued exposure to the moonlight.
Sadly, this does mean the average Moon Man’s lifespan is extremely limited. As soon as the sun has returned, their days are numbered. However, an avid necromancer can continue to supply their life force, and with a smart deal, will have a powerful agent on their hands. A Moon Man is telekinetic, can cast rays of necromantic cold, and is a good deal more capable of independent thought than the average undead. On top of that, while Moon Men are not naturally aggressive, they are utterly lacking in empathy. Truly a chilling creature, a child with grotesque power. If you should think yourself threatened by a Moon Man, ward yourself against magic. They cannot enter a place that does not allow magic, as it is all that sustains them. Usually, however, you can make them leave you alone simply by leaving something more interesting for them to study. Peace is always the first option when dealing with beasts.
So when you combine a tsukumogami with a werewolf, you get a moon man? Neat. Although I have a couple of questions! Do they actually grow a magic moon head or is that just the moon radiating its power on them in the image? And how long does the moon’s magic last? I mean, they can apparently stay alive even if they enter a room, thus blocking moonlight from hitting them, but as soon as the sun comes up, they die instantly?
I appreciate the tsukumogami reference. I’ll have to cover some yokai around here one of these days. THOSE are some crazy ones.
As for the questions, yes, the moon head actually appears. The moon’s power isn’t harmed by having the sun out, just by the moon NOT being out. They can only survive for a couple hours without any direct moon exposure, so one new moon can off them without a “sponsor” necromancer.