Note: The following is a monster of my own creation and is a composite of multiple legends, fictional sources, etc. It originated in a nightmare I had, and like I always do – I share my fear with others. Enjoy.
Wraith
A wraith is a particular type of corporeal undead. In life it used some form of “draining” ability such as Steal Life, Leech, etc. and developed unholy addiction for it. Eventually, it succumbed to its addiction and died – but death was not as strong as its need for the life force of others. Wraiths look exactly as they did in life, but have hollow eyes with pinpricks of green, blue, red, or yellow light in them and a withered corpse-like appearance. Their hands are skeletal and bony and can rend flesh from bone. They have whatever skills and abilities they did in life, plus the powers of a wraith.
Any Campaign Setting…
ST: 16 HP: 16 Speed: 7.00
DX: 14 Will: 14 Move: 9
IQ: 10 Per: 12 Weight: 150 lbs.
HT: 12 FP: N/A SM: +0
Dodge: 11 Parry: 12 DR: 3 (doubled against Leeching/Draining attacks)
Bite or Punch (16): 1d+1 crushing; Reach C.
Claw (16): 1d+1 cutting. Reach C, 1.
Drain (14): Roll a Quick Contest of skill vs. the victim’s Will every second(at -1 per yard away from your target you are) . If you succeed, you drain 1d HP from your target. These HP can be used to heal your injuries or power your own abilities by giving yourself a temporary boost. Each HP translates into a single character point which you can spend on increasing traits the wraith already has. Points drain away at 1 point/second and unallocated points are drained first. Once they’re at full HP, they go to heal the wraith’s ER (or his battery if empty).
Grapple (16): No damage. Reach C.
Improvised Weapon (9): Based on Damage 1d+1/2d+2. Usually made as an All-Out Attack (Determined), for +4 to hit.
Kick (14): 1d+2 crushing; Reach C, 1.
And two of the following:
Assault Rifle (14): Typically 5.56, which inflicts 5d piercing. Acc 5, Range 800/3,500, RoF 13, Shots 30+1 (3), Bulk -5, Rcl 2.
Axe (14): 2d+5 cutting; Reach 1.
Knife (14): 1d+2 impaling or 2d1 cutting; Reach C,1 or C.
Pistol (14): Typically .40, which inflicts 2d+2 large piercing. Acc 2, Range 160/1,800, RoF 3, Shots 13+1 (3), Bulk -2, Rcl 2.
Stick (14): 2d+2 crushing; Reach 1.
Sword (14): 1d+4 impaling or 2d+4 cutting; Reach 1.
Traits: Appearance (Monstrous); Combat Reflexes; Dark Vision; Detect (Life; Precise); Doesn’t Breathe; Doesn’t Eat or Drink; Doesn’t Sleep; Draining; Energy Reserve 10 (Special Recharge, Leech); Extra Attack 1 (Draining only); High Pain Threshold; Immunity to Metabolic Hazards; Indomitable; Infectious Attack*; Injury Tolerance (No Blood; No Vitals; Unliving); Silence 2; Unhealing (Partial); Unfazeable.
Skills: Brawling-16; Hidden Lore (Undead)-12; Occultism-12; Stealth-16; Survival (pick one, usually esoteric)-12; Wrestling-16; two skills appropriate to attack choices at 14; other appropriate skills assigned by the GM.
Notes: Affected by True Faith; “Bleeds” sand or dust. Can burn HP for Extra Effort. Soulless. If the GM is using Intrinsic Fright Check GURPS Horror, (p. 139), Wraiths have a modifier of -1 and are considered to be “Sanity-Blasting.”
* This only affects those with a supernatural ability to take HP, FP, or some other score from others, whether it’s a magical spell, innate ability, or whatever. It doesn’t matter. If the wraith drains someone with such a capability than treat the HP they drained from that victim as the inflicted damage for Infectious Attack. Those afflicted do not suffer right away, instead, they have a chance to stave off wraith sickness forever – as long as they abstain from draining attacks for months equal to total damage inflicted. If successful, the wraith sickness eventually leaves their system. If they don’t then they lose the ability to naturally heal themselves and lose 2 HP per day. They can replace this lost HP through draining attacks…but it’s like plugging a leak in a dam with your thumb – eventually they will die and when they do, they become a wraith.
For Dungeon Fantasy…
ST: 16 HP: 16 Speed: 7.00
DX: 14 Will: 14 Move: 9
IQ: 10 Per: 12 Weight: 150 lbs.
HT: 12 FP: N/A SM: +0
Dodge: 11 Parry: 12 DR: 3 (doubled against Leeching/Draining attacks)
Bite or Punch (16): 1d+1 crushing; Reach C.
Claw (16): 1d+1 cutting. Reach C, 1.
Drain (14): Roll a Quick Contest of skill vs. the victim’s Will every second(at -1 per yard away from your target you are) . If you succeed, you drain 1d HP from your target. These HP can be used to heal your injuries or power your own abilities by giving yourself a temporary boost. Each HP translates into a single character point which you can spend on increasing traits the wraith already has. Points drain away at 1 point/second and unallocated points are drained first. Once they’re at full HP, they go to heal the wraith’s ER (or his battery if empty).
Grapple (16): No damage. Reach C.
Improvised Weapon (9): Based on Damage 1d+1/2d+2. Usually made as an All-Out Attack (Determined), for +4 to hit.
Kick (14): 1d+2 crushing; Reach C, 1.
And two of the following:
Axe (14): 2d+5 cutting; Reach 1.
Knife (14): 1d+2 impaling or 2d1 cutting; Reach C,1 or C.
Stick (14): 2d+2 crushing; Reach 1.
Sword (14): 1d+4 impaling or 2d+4 cutting; Reach 1.
Traits: Appearance (Monstrous); Combat Reflexes; Dark Vision; Detect (Life; Precise); Doesn’t Breathe; Doesn’t Eat or Drink; Doesn’t Sleep; Draining; Energy Reserve 10 (Special Recharge, Leech); Extra Attack 1 (Draining only); High Pain Threshold; Immunity to Metabolic Hazards; Indomitable; Infectious Attack*; Injury Tolerance (No Blood; No Vitals; Unliving); Silence 2; Unhealing (Partial); Unfazeable.
Skills: Brawling-16; Hidden Lore (Undead)-12; Occultism-12; Stealth-16; Survival (pick one, usually esoteric)-12; Wrestling-16; two skills appropriate to attack choices at 14; other appropriate skills assigned by the GM.
Classification: Undead.
Notes: Affected by True Faith; “Bleeds” sand or dust. Can burn HP for Extra Effort. Soulless.
* This only affects those with a supernatural ability to take HP, FP, or some other score from others, whether it’s a magical spell, innate ability, or whatever. It doesn’t matter. If the wraith drains someone with such a capability than treat the HP they drained from that victim as the inflicted damage for Infectious Attack. Those afflicted do not suffer right away, instead, they have a chance to stave off wraith sickness forever – as long as they abstain from draining attacks for months equal to total damage inflicted. If successful, the wraith sickness eventually leaves their system. If they don’t then they lose the ability to naturally heal themselves and lose 2 HP per day. They can replace this lost HP through draining attacks…but it’s like plugging a leak in a dam with your thumb – eventually they will die and when they do, they become a wraith.
For Monster Hunters…
ST: 16 HP: 16 Speed: 7.00
DX: 14 Will: 16 Move: 9
IQ: 10 Per: 12 Weight: 150 lbs.
HT: 12 FP: N/A SM: +0
Dodge: 11 Parry: 13 DR: 5 (doubled against Leeching/Draining attacks)
Fright Check: -1
Bite or Punch (18): 1d+1 crushing; Reach C.
Claw (18): 1d+1 cutting. Reach C, 1.
Drain (16): Roll a Quick Contest of skill vs. the victim’s Will every second(at -1 per yard away from your target you are) . If you succeed, you drain 2d+1 HP from your target. These HP can be used to heal your injuries or power your own abilities by giving yourself a temporary boost. Each HP translates into a single character point which you can spend on increasing traits the wraith already has. Points drain away at 1 point/second and unallocated points are drained first. Once they’re at full HP, they go to heal the wraith’s ER (or his battery if empty).
Grapple (18): No damage. Reach C.
Improvised Weapon (9): Based on Damage 1d+1/2d+2. Usually made as an All-Out Attack (Determined), for +4 to hit.
Kick (16): 1d+2 crushing; Reach C, 1.
And two of the following:
Assault Rifle (18): Typically 5.56, which inflicts 5d piercing. Acc 5, Range 800/3,500, RoF 13, Shots 30+1 (3), Bulk -5, Rcl 2.
Axe (18): 2d+5 cutting; Reach 1.
Knife (18): 1d+2 impaling or 2d1 cutting; Reach C,1 or C.
Pistol (18): Typically .40, which inflicts 2d+2 large piercing. Acc 2, Range 160/1,800, RoF 3, Shots 13+1 (3), Bulk -2, Rcl 2.
Stick (18): 2d+2 crushing; Reach 1.
Sword (18): 1d+4 impaling or 2d+4 cutting; Reach 1.
Traits: Appearance (Monstrous); Combat Reflexes; Dark Vision; Detect (Life; Precise); Doesn’t Breathe; Doesn’t Eat or Drink; Doesn’t Sleep; Draining; Energy Reserve 10 (Special Recharge, Leech); Extra Attack 1 (Draining only); High Pain Threshold; Immunity to Metabolic Hazards; Indomitable; Infectious Attack*; Injury Tolerance (No Blood; No Vitals; Unliving); Silence 2; Unhealing (Partial); Unfazeable.
Skills: Brawling-18; Hidden Lore (Vampires)-14; Occultism-12; Stealth-16; Survival (pick one, usually esoteric)-12; Wrestling-18; two skills appropriate to attack choices at 16; other appropriate skills assigned by the GM.
Notes: Affected by True Faith; “Bleeds” sand or dust. Can burn HP for Extra Effort. Soulless. Use the skills listed under Vampires in the Know Thy Enemy box in Monster Hunters 1 (p. 16). One to two champions per wraith is a fair fight. GMs should take special care to use wraiths against inhumans or casters since if they get infected they have ready access to life-draining abilities.
* This only affects those with a supernatural ability to take HP, FP, or some other score from others, whether it’s a magical spell, innate ability, or whatever. It doesn’t matter. If the wraith drains someone with such a capability than treat the HP they drained from that victim as the inflicted damage for Infectious Attack. Those afflicted do not suffer right away, instead, they have a chance to stave off wraith sickness forever – as long as they abstain from draining attacks for months equal to total damage inflicted. If successful, the wraith sickness eventually leaves their system. If they don’t then they lose the ability to naturally heal themselves and lose 2 HP per day. They can replace this lost HP through draining attacks…but it’s like plugging a leak in a dam with your thumb – eventually they will die and when they do, they become a wraith.