| Frequency: | Very Rare |
| No. Encountered: | 1 |
| Size: | Man-sized |
| Move: | 90 ft hovering |
| Armour Class: | 0 when manifest/special |
| Hit Dice: | 10+4 |
| Attacks: | 1 |
| Damage: | Special |
| Special Attacks: | Wither; Magic Jar |
| Special Defences: | Magic weapons or special metals required to hit when manifest; immune to spells when æthereal unless the caster is also æthereal |
| Magic Resistance: | As above |
| Lair Probability: | 25% |
| Intelligence: | High |
| Alignment: | Any evil |
| Level/XP: | 8/4200 +14/hp |
Ghosts are the spiritual remains of extremely evil humans who have been denied the ordinarily inexorable movement of their souls to the outer planes of existence after discarding their mortal shell. This sundering of their metaphysical essence creates a foul thing, roaming dark and desolate places, existing in both the æthereal plane and the prime material, seeking to slake a thirst that can never be sated. This exigent need for living essences is what drives these spirits into contact with mortals.
Merely beholding the awfulness of the ghost requires a saving throw vs magic. Failure causes the viewer to flee in panic (for 2d8 turns) and initiates a weaker form of the ghost’s wither attack—which ages the victim 3d6 years as the ghost feasts on the life of the victim.
Clerics level 7 or greater can ignore this effect, as they have a better understanding of how to ward off such metaphysical forces, while other intelligences with 9 or more hit dice or levels gain a +3 to their saves.
Until the ghost manifests itself physically, it is immune to all attacks, spell or no, unless the attacker has a method to become æthereal. Even if the spellcaster is in this state, ghosts are still immune to many forms of spells, though no sage has recorded what those magics might be. Magical weapons used in an æthereal state against a ghost typically have to strike against AC 7 or 8.
As if these terrible powers were not enough, any creature within 180 ft is threatened by the being’s magic jar ability, as per the spell. If this fails, then the ghost will manifest itself, taking on an ectoplasmic quality. Specially forged “pure” metals, especially silver, can cause half-damage to a ghost while it is manifested in this fashion, and magic weapons can affect it normally—in either case the attacker must hit AC 0. Spells still cannot affect it in this state unless the caster is æthereal. The manifest state allows the ghost to strike victims physically, with the full power of their withering attack—causing the victim to age 7d6 years per successful attack, no save possible. Victims who exceed their allotted lifespan are forever dead, with only a wish capable of reversing this end.
Treasure: 1d10×1,000 cp (5%); 2d6×1,000 sp (30%); 1d6×1,000 ep (25%); 2d4×1,000 gp (25%); 2d6 gems (15%); 1d6 jewellery (20%); 1d3-1 scrolls (30%); 1d8 potions (40%); 1d4-1 any other magic items (25%)