During the Search for Varla the players quickly realized that they were dealing with a foe who could reanimate the dead, so they made a point of incinerating the corpses they left behind.
(Fun fact: In OD&D, a fire ball spell has a duration of 1 turn. The only possible explanation is that the spell creates a raging inferno that lasts for 10 minutes.)
I decided, however, that the powerful necromantic energies surrounding Atarin’s Delve were capable of raising even these insignificant remains. This prompted the on-the-fly creation of ash wraiths — animate clouds of corpse ash.
They particularly appeal to me because they provide an incorporeal form of undead that can be used in a fashion similar to skeletons and zombies. (In other words, minor undead that aren’t mind-searingly terrifying in their level-draining devastation.)
As with the lycanthropic ghouls from yesterday, the ash wraiths use a combination of AD&D stat block and OD&D verbiage.
Frequency: Rare
No. Encountered: 3d10
Move: 12″
Armor Class: 6
Hit Dice: 1+1
Attacks: 1d6
Special Attacks: Nil
Special Defenses: +1 or better weapon to hit
Magic Resistance: Not subject to fire-based attacks
% in Lair: 40%
Treasure Type: Nil
Intelligence: Low
Alignment: Neutral
Ash wraiths are born from the burnt remains of corpses. They are most often found haunting ruined crematoriums or lingering near the horrors of execution pyres, but there are also tales of woods being haunted by ash wraith animals for years or even decades after the devastation of forest fires.
Ash wraiths cannot properly be said to have any corporeal body, which makes them totally impervious to all normal weaponry (although they can be struck by all magical weapons). Their touch, however, retains the passionate heat of their deaths and is scalding to mortal flesh.
That’s just FUN.
In keeping with the notion of fighting low-level characters, I suggest it may be helpful to say they take 1d6 from water attacks involving a pint or more, maybe. If knocked down by water, if they are subject to healing magic, they are destroyed; otherwise they rise in 1d4 hours or somesuch. And maybe they take damage from healing spells straight up.
That gives the low-level groups easily accessible creative ways to do battle.
I really like these guys, low level incorporeal foes. The accompanying picture also quite fantastic.
On top of that Andrew comes in with some great ideas as well. Saved for future use.
This is really great. Unique new undead!
Winning!
I agree Andrew. Low-level parties have few if any magic items & a paucity of spell slots to spend on killing mooks, even if they are undead. An additional means of harming them seems to be necessary.
Yes, that’s one think I liked about 3.x: DR as opposed to “+1 or better to hit”. With DR, even DR 10/-, it’s usually at least possible to deal SOME damage without magic.
To make them beatable by 1st level 3.x characters, I’d think about removing the incorporeal and instead giving them DR 5/- or 10/-. They’re animated ash, so they still have some physical substance.
If you want to get tricky, maybe they are DR 10/- to start with, but every “point” of water or other liquid you hit them with reduces this DR (they get wet, clump together, and become easier to damage with physical weapons).
Loving these ideas. I think letting them be affected normally by holy water and allowing normal water to make them vulnerable to normal attacks are both great.
Another possibility is to simply make them super-vulnerable to holy water; it destroys them if a full dose is used in a glass ampule or other accessible format. This is great because, while it makes them easy to defeat, it requires special equipment to do so. This special equipment has a cost, and it requires preparation on the party’s part.
It could really add to the flavor to have creatures that are simple to destroy if you’re ready, and pretty impossible to wipe out otherwise. It also makes holy water a valuable addition to the party; even just one, just in case. But if five of these come at you, you need to get back to town and go shopping.
Reminds me of “Phoenix Requiem”.
Some samples:
http://requiem.seraph-inn.com/viewcomic.php?page=380
http://requiem.seraph-inn.com/viewcomic.php?page=569
http://requiem.seraph-inn.com/viewcomic.php?page=573
I love how flexible and interesting even low level monster creation can be – especially undead!!
I do think the others maybe on the right track with the water & holy water ideas.
[…] sand painting imprisons four Ash Wraiths (stats in link); should it be sufficiently disturbed, they will be released and lash out at anything […]