Monstrous Foes: Elvish Tomb Wraith

Wraith, Elvish Tomb

CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Elvish Tombs

FREQUENCY: Very Rare

ORGANIZATION: Military Unit

ACTIVITY CYCLE: Any

DIET: None

INTELLIGENCE: High (13-14)

TREASURE: Incidental

ALIGNMENT: True neutral

NO. APPEARING: 2-8

ARMOR CLASS: 2

MOVEMENT: 13

HIT DICE: 5

THAC0: 15

NO. OF ATTACKS: 1

DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-8 (melee) or 1-6 (missile)

SPECIAL ATTACKS: constitution drain

SPECIAL DEFENSES: magical weapon required to hit

MAGIC RESISTANCE: Nil

SIZE: M (5’-6’ tall)

MORALE: Fearless (20)

XP VALUE: 975 (melee), 1,400 (missile)

Tomb wraiths, while bearing some relation to the other classifications of spirit that elves may leave behind, are generally created as a result of certain powerful necromantic spells being used on the living. In times past, since elves could not create corporeal undead, powerful elvish sorcerer-princes devised spells to call forth the spirits of the departed from the Gardens of Edellä to fight on the material plane. These warriors are summoned forth from their afterlives when the tombs of their monarchs are pierced, and they patrol those tombs fiercely.

Elvish tomb wraiths appear to be, in every way, the pinnacle of health and vigor. They are dressed in vibrantly colored arms and armor, streaming with banners and resplendent as they were in life. Only bright light will show them to be semi-translucent and wraithlike.

Combat: Like all ethereal undead, tomb wraiths are terrifying in battle. Unlike other wraiths and spirits, the tomb wraiths are not deterred by bright light nor are they weakened by the daytime, though pure sunlight threatens their link with Arunia. When in direct sunlight, they have a -2 penalty to-hit (THAC0 17) and a -2 penalty to all damage dealt. They are clearly transparent in daylight and cannot use their constitution draining attacks.

Tomb wraiths appear to use the arms they were skilled at in life, though they always deal 1d8 damage, regardless of the weapon. Being struck with a spectral weapon causes the target to lose 1 point of constitution; this loss persists for 24 hours. If, as a result of this, anyone ever drops to 0 constitution or below, they enter a cursed and dreamless sleep until their entire constitution score has been recovered. They must then make a system shock check, or permanently lose 1 point of constitution.