Freebie: Haunted Sites

The stubborn dead aren't an entirely uncommon phenomenon in Outer World. Death is normally the end and for some folk that simply won't do. Corpses walk and occasionally talk, little spirits flutter about, skeletons get some really big ideas. It might not be the norm, but it's not going to surprise anyone too much when it happens.

However, there are times when someone refuses to pass on in a far more dramatic and dangerous way. They become tethered to a place, becoming a part of it and emerging as a menace to anyone who dare venture into their domain.

This is an entry about Ghosts and the Haunted Sites they reside in.

Ghosts

Ghost is a general term for an undying spirit that haunts a particular place or area. Their presence makes an Adventure Site into a Haunted Site. Normally, a ghost cannot be confronted materially - they do not have a physical form and strike at invaders using a sort of phantom magic (as noted in the Haunted Sites rules) until the interlopers leave or join the ranks of the dead.

There is no one sort of ghost. When creating one, it's important consider the following aspects:

• What tethers their malice to this site? They might be a parent looking for their lost child in the aftermath of a tragedy, a slain tyrant skulking the halls of their ruined castle in search of traitors, or a beast whose blood lust was stronger than the death brought on by the spear and bow.
• Once you know what they are, you can decide on their themes. This helps with providing flavor for Haunting Effects: the lost parent's presence may be heralded by soft beckoning and visions of bodies riddled with wounds from the tragedy, the tyrant may lash at targets with chains and edicts, the beast's would likely include guttural roars, crawling vermin, unseen claws and teeth.
• What happens when the Ghost's Manifesting Rite is performed. Do they depart from this mortal coil thanks to some truth being revealed? Or do they take on a physical form and attack those who dared confront them? If it's the latter, you'll want to make an adversary entry for them. They tend to have a menace level of Mega-Boss and a rank of 6 or higher, but weaker, lower ranked ghosts aren't impossible.

Manifesting Rite

As stated previously, it's normally impossible to deal with a ghost by normal or even magical means. They have no material form, and are instead existing within the mana of the place they haunt. If someone wants to exorcise a ghost, they must perform a task that draws them into the physical world known as a Manifesting Ritual.

Manifesting Rites are not uniform. They might involve returning a sacred item to its proper place, righting some ancient wrong, or proving that whatever the ghost is waiting for is long gone from the world. The only thing they all have in common is that they should all involve traversing the ghost's Haunted Site in some way.

Once the Manifesting Rite is complete, the ghost takes on a physical form. They then either accept their passing and disperse permanently or to attack whoever completed the rite.

Haunted Sites

A Haunted Site is an Adventure Site that a ghost is present in. These sites function normally in regards to the exploration rules (though the ghost's presence could have an effect on the nature of the site or how the inhabitants act) but have the additional consideration of Haunting Effects.

Haunting Effects occur in the following circumstances.

• Every other time the party moves to a new point (including back-tracking) on the adventure site map.
• Any time the party decides to investigate or linger at a point.
• Whenever someone does something connected to the ghost's reason for haunting the site or something that might upset or anger the ghost, at GM's Discretion.

Whenever one of these comes up, you should roll once on the Random Target Table to decide which member of the party is the potential target of the haunting, then roll on the Haunting Effect Table and then play out the effect. In the case of someone doing something that would catch the ghost's attention, you may also simply target them instead of rolling for a random target.

Random Target Table (Re-Roll in the case of tie)

• 1- Character with the lowest Might
• 2- Character with the highest Might
• 3- Character with the lowest Deftness
• 4- Character with the highest Deftness
• 5- Character with the lowest Grit
  
• 6- Character with the highest Grit
  
• 7- Character with the lowest Insight
• 8- Character with the highest Insight
• 9- Character with the lowest Aura
• 10- Character with the highest Aura
• 11- Character with who was most recently injured
• 12- Character who last failed a check or attack roll
• 13- Character with the highest bright allegiance
• 14- Character with the highest dark allegiance
• 15- Character wearing the brightest color
  
• 16- Character with the least amount of inventory slots full
  
• 17- Character who last used a magical ability
  
• 18- Character who last shouted
  
• 19- Character who last drew blood
  
• 20- Character who is having the worst day

Haunting Effect Table

• 1-10: Something spooky and characteristic of the haunt happens, but no harm comes to the party. These usually come in the form of noises, apparitions, or paranormal events appearing in front of or around the group. They may hint at what needs to happen to manifest the Haunt.
  
• 11-15: The haunt appears and performs some terrifying action that inflicts a Physical Jinx on a randomly selected target unless they can make a Deftness Check to dodge it. These Jinxes last until the haunt is exorcised, placated, or the target remains away from the haunted site for at least a week.
  
• 16: A personalized vision of terror flashes through the mind of the target, striking at the core of their psyche. They let out a loud cry of anger, dismay, or terror and incur two random encounter rolls unless they make a Grit check to steel themselves.
  
• 17: A voice that sounds like someone the target loves or trusts beckons them elsewhere. They move towards the most dangerous adjacent point in the Adventure Site unless they make a Insight check to keep their senses.
• 18: The haunt attempts to posses the target, and will do so unless they succeed on an Aura check to assert their sense of self. The haunt then attempts to do one action to hinder the party as best they can, snuffing out a torch, using a destructive ability, etc, before departing with a cackle or threat.
  
• 19: A disorienting spatial wave washes over the entire party, and they are all thrown to a different point of the Adventure Site. This is either deep within the site's depths or at the entrance, depending on the temperament of the Haunt.
  
• 20: The target's body is contorted and twisted by the haunt's wrath. They incur a light injury unless they succeed on a Might check to resist the ordeal.

GM Tip!: A re-skinned Skelemonarch can make for quick and easy stats for a ghost. The shadow beast also works well. That said, it'd probably be more fun to make up your own.