Monster Mondays: Forlorn Spirit

By Andrew Hoskins
Forward by Frank Gori

"You unlock this door with the key of imagination. Beyond it is another dimension— a dimension of sound, a dimension of sight, a dimension of mind. You're moving into a land of both shadow and substance, of things and ideas. You've just crossed over into the Twilight Zone." -Rod Serling

This week The Flying Pincushion has chosen to look to The Twilight Zone for inspiration. Some might say that a TV show not matter how good is not literature, but lI find myself wanting to argue it could be.

The Twilight Zone was ground breaking in its time. Because it passed itself as suspenseful science fiction it got away with making statements and observations that would possibly be considered subversive in what was in retrospect a socially oppressive time.

There were 16 episodes that can directly be called ghost stories in the series run, dozens more that could be interpreted that way. While the Forlorn Spirit isn't recognizable from an episode the psychological games and elusively preditory nature of the spirit should be very familiar.

Forlorn Spirit

This ghostly apparition peers around, as if lost. The shadow of someone you once knew is spread across its features.

Forlorn Spirit CR 6

XP 2,400

NE Medium undead (incorporeal)

Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft., sense loss 100 ft.; Perception +10

Aura unnatural aura (60 ft.)

DEFENSE

AC 16, touch 16, flat-footed 13 (+3 deflection, +3 Dex)

hp 40 (5d8+20)

Fort +1, Ref +4, Will +6

Defensive Abilities channel resistance +2, incorporeal, natural invisibility; Immune undead traits

OFFENSE

Speed fly 40 ft. (good)

Melee incorporeal touch +5 (1d4 Wisdom damage plus euphoric dream DC 16)

Special Attacks nightmare of loss

STATISTICS

Str -, Dex 16, Con -, Int 13, Wis 15, Cha 17

Base Atk +3; CMB +6; CMD 19

Feats Deceitful, Flyby Attack, Improved Initiative

Skills Bluff +10, Disguise +13 (+23 with visage of the lost soul), Fly +11, Perception +10, Stealth +11

Languages Common

SQ visage of the lost soul

ECOLOGY

Environment any, usually urban

Organization solitary

Treasure none

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Euphoric Dream (Su) When a Forlorn Spirit succeeds at causing Wisdom damage with a melee touch attack, it can cause the target to make a Will save (DC 16) or be caught in a waking dream.  If successful, the forlorn spirit heals hit points equal to the Wisdom damage inflicted.  While in this state, the target believes it has been reunited with the subject of its loss.  The target may make a new saving throw at the beginning of each round to disbelieve the dream.  If the target’s Wisdom damage equals or exceeds its actual Wisdom score, then the Euphoric Dream immediately ends and the target falls under the effects of a Nightmare of Loss instead.  This functions like a mirage arcana spell, but is a phantasm instead of a glamer.  The DC is Charisma based.

Natural Invisibility (Su) Forlorn spirits are naturally invisible, but can be forced into view with spells like invisibility purge or glitterdust.

Nightmare of Loss (Su) The target suffers a waking nightmare similar to Euphoric Dream, but the subject of their loss is actively tormenting them.  The forlorn spirit’s selective invisibility ends immediately.  The target falls under the effects of a mad hallucination^(UM) spell, featuring the subject of their loss, with a permanent duration.  All mental ability damage is converted to ability drain and cannot be recovered while this effect persists.  This effect can only be lifted with break enchantment, greater restoration, heal, or remove curse.

Sense Loss (Su) A forlorn sprit can sense the feelings of depression and loss being experienced by a living creature within 100 feet.  The spirit gains knowledge of the subject from the point of view of the creature; it then becomes obsessed with the creature and the subject of their loss.  The subject of loss is usually a deceased family member, friend, or lover, but can be any living creature the target believes is dead and had a strong emotional bond with.  This is a mind-influencing affect.

Visage of the Lost Soul (Sp) As a standard action, a forlorn spirit may choose to drop its natural invisibility for a single creature that it can sense with its Sense Loss ability.  The spirit also falls under the effects of a disguise self spell, but the spell must duplicate the identity of the target’s subject of loss.  Any vocalization made while in this disguise will also mimic the voice of the form they have taken.

 

Forlorn spirits can manifest when a sapient creature’s emotional loss is so immense that the creature loses the will to live and dies.  If the creature is evil, or the presence of negative energy is strong in the location the creature dies, then the transformation is much more likely.  Once transformed, the creature remembers nothing of its past life but the intense pain of losing a loved one.  This pain quickly turns to anger, longing, and an urge to force others to suffer in turn.

 

These spirits are often found in urban areas where the selection of victims is broad, but they can exist in any area.  Forlorn spirits in the wilderness will often stalk travelers until they get to a populated area before attacking them directly and driving them mad.

 

Delighting in the thrill of torturing their victims, a forlorn spirit will often whisper in their victim’s ear remembered moments from when the subject was still alive.  These are particularly emotional statements such as marriage vows, pet names, or dying words.  Once the victim’s feelings are stirred, the spirit will appear to them as their lost love, but only in a crowd of people or just around a corner before disappearing again.  After the victim is especially distraught, the spirit will appear to them one last time, offering words of farewell, eternal love, or friendship.  While the victim finally feels some release and closure, the forlorn spirit feasts on the emotional energy.  Once the victim is completely drained, the forlorn sprit leaves them as a husk of consciousness, able to experience nothing but the overwhelming pain of their loss.

 

Mythic Forlorn

This ghostly apparition peers around with purpose seeking someone. It’s features resemble someone dear to you but lost, and you realize that it is you the creature seeks.

Mythic Forlorn Spirit CR 8/Mythic 3

XP 4,800

NE Medium undead (incorporeal, mythic)

Init +10; Senses darkvision 60 ft., sense loss 100 ft.; Perception +10

Aura fear aura (60 ft., DC 18)

DEFENSE

AC 18, touch 18, flat-footed 15 (+5 deflection, +3 Dex)

hp 69 (5d8+25+24)

Fort +1, Ref +4, Will +6

Defensive Abilities channel resistance +4, incorporeal, natural invisibility; DR 5/epic; Immune undead traits

OFFENSE

Speed fly 40 ft. (good)

Melee incorporeal touch +5 (1d6 Wisdom damage plus euphoric dream DC 18)

Special Attacks nightmare of loss, mythic power (3/day, surge +1d6)

STATISTICS

Str -, Dex 16, Con -, Int 10, Wis 15, Cha 21

Base Atk +3; CMB +6; CMD 21

Feats Deceitful^M, Flyby Attack, Improved Initiative^M

Skills Bluff +14, Disguise +17 (+27 with visage of the lost soul), Fly +11, Perception +11, Stealth +11

Languages Common

SQ visage of the lost soul

ECOLOGY

Environment any, usually urban

Organization solitary

Treasure none

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Euphoric Dream (Su) When a Forlorn Spirit succeeds at causing Wisdom damage with a melee touch attack, it can cause the target to make a Will save (DC 18) or be caught in a waking dream.  If successful, the forlorn spirit heals hit points equal to the Wisdom damage inflicted.  While in this state, the target believes it has been reunited with the subject of its loss.  The target may make a new saving throw at the beginning of each round to disbelieve the dream.  If the target’s Wisdom damage equals or exceeds its actual Wisdom score, then the Euphoric Dream immediately ends and the target falls under the effects of a Nightmare of Loss instead.  This functions like a mirage arcana spell, but is a phantasm instead of a glamer.  The DC is Charisma based.

Fear Aura (Su) All living non-mythic creatures within 60 ft. of a mythic forlorn spirit are shaken while within the aura, mythic creatures may make a DC 18 Will save to negate the effect.  If the creature can see the mythic forlorn spirit in its natural form, the creature must make a DC 18 Will save or begin cowering.  A creature may make a new save against the cowering effect on the end of each turn.

Natural Invisibility (Su) Forlorn spirits are naturally invisible, but can be forced into view with spells like invisibility purge or glitterdust.  When forcefully exposed, the mythic forlorn spirit may immediately use Euphoric Dream against all creatures within 30 feet.

Nightmare of Loss (Su) The target suffers a waking nightmare similar to Euphoric Dream, but the subject of their loss is actively tormenting them.  The forlorn spirit’s selective invisibility ends immediately and it regains 1 mythic power.  The target falls under the effects of a mad hallucination^(UM) spell, featuring the subject of their loss, with a permanent duration.  All mental ability damage is converted to ability drain and cannot be recovered while this effect persists.  This effect can only be lifted with mythic versions of break enchantment, greater restoration, heal, or remove curse.  Additionally, wish can lift the condition. 

Sense Loss (Su) A forlorn sprit can sense the feelings of depression and loss being experienced by a living creature within 100 feet.  The spirit gains knowledge of the subject from the point of view of the creature; it then becomes obsessed with the creature and the subject of their loss.  The subject of loss is usually a deceased family member, friend, or lover, but can be any living creature the target believes is dead and had a strong emotional bond with.  This is a mind-influencing affect.

Visage of the Lost Soul (Sp) As a standard action, a forlorn spirit may choose to drop its natural invisibility for a single creature that it can sense with its Sense Loss ability.  The spirit also falls under the effects of an alter self spell, but the spell must duplicate the identity of the target’s subject of loss.  Any vocalization made while in this disguise will also mimic the voice of the form they have taken.

 

Mythic forlorn spirits are formed when a standard forlorn spirit drains the emotional energy from a mythic creature, or when a mythic creature dies when losing the will to live because of an incredible emotional loss.  They often cause even the most stalwart of foes to run in fear.