Villains' Lorebook.pdf - Department of Political Science

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allowed Ghost’s spirit to leave his body and inhabit
that of another. The spirit of the target body was
forced out and entered Ghost’s body. The target
could make a save vs. death magic with a -4 penalty
to resist this effect. Ghost would then kill his own
weak body, forcing the spirit out. He’d place the
black glove back on his own body, returning a portion
of his spirit into his body and preventing the
now bodiless spirit from re-entering it. The spirit
would slowly fade away. Ghost uses a ring of regeneration
to heal his oft-killed body. Ghearufu also could
make all its components invisible.
Combat/Tactics: Ghost’s true form was too weak
to be much of a threat in combat and that was intentional
(see above). Ghost used ghearufu to let him
get close enough to assassinate his target. To this
end, he normally chose a trusted friend of the target
who was more physically capable of combat.
Ghost also used Vander, a firbolg, as his “spiritmate,”
a common (and very impressive physical
specimen) but unwilling target of Ghost’s possession.
Allies/Companions: Vander (who deeply hated
Ghost and the power he wielded over him), the
other thugs and assassins of the Night Masks sent to
kill Cadderly, and the forces of Castle Trinity, including
ABALLISTER.
Foes/Enemies: Cadderly, Danica, the Bouldershoulder
brothers, and the inhabitants of Edificant
Library.
Appearance: A small, almost childlike figure,
Ghost is thin to the point of frailness. He has heavy,
drooping eyelids that make him look sleepy and
thick, full lips. He also seems to be in a constant
condition of ill health. He’s subject to coughing fits
and convulsions.
Ghost dresses as do all Night Masks when they
gather: whatever nondescript garb each chooses to
wear, and a silver gilt-edged black domino mask.
Personality: Ghost is cruel in the extreme. Not
only does he practice the wicked profession of assassination,
but he’s chosen to go about in particularly
vicious and sadistic way.
Ghost is very proud of his record of kills and the
abilities he’s mastered using ghearufu, For such an
unimposing, weak physical specimen, Ghost’s arrogant
evil is huge out of all proportion. He takes a
cold pleasure in doing his job, no longer even considering
the damage he’s doing not only to the victim
but also to the victim’s loved ones.
Locales Frequented: Westgate, Castle Trinity, the
Snowflake mountains, and wherever his assassina-
tion assignments take him.
History: Ghost’s original home and name are unknown.
He’s bragged that his consciousness has lived
for more than 100 years, and that his current, frail
body is the third he’s claimed as his own. Apparently,
when a body gets too old or too weak from repeatedly
suffering the effects of violent death, Ghost
finds a fresher, though still weak, form and takes it as
his new body.
Ghost was a member of the score of thugs and assassins
the wizard Aballister of Castle Trinity com-
missioned to kill Cadderly.
While the band of thugs and killers did cause terrible
trouble in the vicinity, they failed to assassinate
Cadderly. Ghost even tried to possess Cadderly’s
love, Danica. Danica’s mental discipline enabled her
to resist the power of ghearufu, and Ghost later tried
to enter Vander the firbolg’s body.
Cadderly’s link to Deneir had allowed him to discern
ghearufu’s power, and the priest helped Vander
resist Ghost’s will, albeit temporarily. In the battle
that followed, both bodies perished.
Cadderly did battle with Ghost’s spirit when it
tried to enter Cadderly’s body, but was defeated.
Ghost’s spirit perished, pulled down by the spirits of
all the people he’d killed using ghearufu. Vander’s
body was healed and his spirit returned to it.
Ghearufu brought the assassin’s spirit back as a
true ghost, but it too perished after Cadderly de-
stroyed the magical item.
Motivations/Goals: Ghost was content to make
money killing people in his unique, sadistic manner.
He even considered himself to be an artist, far superior
to those who used crude weapons to kill their
targets.
Campaign Uses: Ghost’s unique modus operandi
for committing murders makes him-or another like
him-a terrible opponent. It’s possible that whoever
created ghearufu constructed than more one such
item. The item’s components could be different, but
stopping the true killer could be very difficult.
Sources: Night Masks, The Fallen Fortress.