620_88566_Ghostwalk3.qxd
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Because a ghost normally appears as it did when it was killed, those who suffered violent deaths are usually repulsive to look at. The ghost body of such a person still has all its pieces in place (even if the person was killed by decapitation, for example, although such a ghost would have a scar around her neck). A ghost’s appearance fits into one of four categories, depending on the method of death. Normal: The person died in a nonviolent manner or in a manner that doesn’t leave obvious wounds, such as old age, a weak heart, grief, choking on food, drowning, or a phantasmal killer spell. The person’s ghost might appear discolored (pale for drowning, red-faced from choking, and so on) but
ALL ABOUT GHOSTS
THE FACES OF DEATH
its appearance is otherwise unaffected and does not give it any bonuses or penalties on checks. Disturbing: The person died violently or in a manner that left obvious and recognizable marks on the body, such as strangulation, most deaths from weapons, and localized magical attacks such as magic missile spells. This category also applies for people who died from attacks that completely destroy the body almost instantaneously, such as immersion in lava or a disintegrate spell (victims of these attacks have an odd look about them and superficial injuries). Most adventurer ghosts belong to this category. NPCs interacting with a character in this category can never start with an attitude better than friendly. Disturbing characters take a –2 penalty on Bluff, Diplomacy, Gather Information, Perform, and Charisma checks to influence NPC attitudes. They gain a +2 bonus on Intimidate checks. Repulsive: As disturbing, but the wounds are larger, more obvious, or particularly nasty, such as attacks by large creatures or weapons, decapitation, death by massive damage, the stomach acid of a
CHAPTER 1:
repaired without magic or certain feats that allow a ghost to change appearance. The ghost also seems to be wearing clothing of the same type it wore when it died, although this clothing is simply an unconscious extension of the ghost body and cannot be removed or altered. A ghost who is manifested fully or has ghost touch clothing or equipment can easily cover this false clothing, and after a week of wearing a new piece of clothing, the false clothing shapes itself after the actual clothing.
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