New Haunts
| Horror Atmosphere | ||
|---|---|---|
| Haunting | Haunt | Haunt Templates |
| Variant Haunts | New Haunts | Exorcism |
Bloody Handprints CR 1/4
A murder or other violent death lingers as bloody marks that harm any creature touching the surface on which they appear.
XP 100
NE haunt (surface with an area up to a 5-ft. square)
Caster Level 1st; Notice Perception DC 5 (to see dried bloody prints on the surface)
hp 1; Trigger touch; Reset 1 day
Effect
Bloody handprints slowly appear on the surface. Anyone touching the surface takes 1d6 points of damage.
DESTRUCTION
The bloody handprints vanish if the surface is thoroughly cleaned and scrubbed with holy water.
Scratching Behind the Wall CR 1/2
A lord with a terrible secret caught a servant snooping through his papers. He knocked the servant over the head and threw her into a disused dumbwaiter, which he jammed between floors. The servant awoke the following day, and her desperate attempts to escape infuse the walls that contained her.
XP 200
CE haunt (5-ft.-by-10-ft. hallway)
Caster Level 1st; Notice Perception DC 15 (to hear a faint scream behind the wall)
hp 1; Trigger proximity; Reset 1 day
Effect
The sound of claws scraping on the inside of the wall echoes throughout the hallway. Creatures within its area must succeed at a DC 11 Will save or be shaken for 1d4 rounds.
DESTRUCTION
A character who finds the servant’s body and removes her from behind the wall destroys the haunt forever.
Rapping Spirit CR 1
The most common haunts are rapping spirits: unquiet dead with just enough substance to produce disembodied knocking and bumps in the night. Characters can attempt communication with these intelligent spirits by working out codes the spirits can use to convey cryptic messages, or by using tools like spirit planchettes to increase the efficiency of communication with the spirit.
XP 400
Alignment varies persistent haunt (5-ft. radius)
Caster Level 1st
Notice Perception DC 10 (to hear faint knocking on the walls, floor, and furniture); hp 4; Weakness tricked by hide from undead; Trigger proximity; Reset 1 day
EFFECT
A chorus of agitated raps and blows rings out from nearby hard surfaces (limited to those capable of being physically manipulated by mage hand) as unquiet spirits convey their unrest to the living. All who hear the supernatural knocks are affected by a cause fear effect (Will DC 11 negates).
DESTRUCTION
Depending on its alignment, a rapping spirit typically asks for its mortal remains to be laid to rest or for the PCs to seek revenge for its death. Fulfilling the request dismisses the haunt.
Cold Spot CR 1
Cold spots are echoes of spirits too weak to manifest as ghosts. They can occur alone or cluster around significant areas.
XP 400
NE haunt (5-ft. radius)
Caster Level 1st; Notice Perception DC 20 (to feel the temperature dropping)
hp 2; Weakness fire (these effects can damage this haunt); Trigger proximity; Reset 1 day
Effect
The temperature suddenly plummets below freezing.
All creatures within the radius are affected as if they had been outside in cold weather for 1 hour, taking 1d6 points of nonlethal damage unless they succeed at a DC 15 Fortitude save. The cold temperature lingers for 10 minutes, but has no additional mechanical effect.
DESTRUCTION
If the cold spot is destroyed with holy fire (such as with flame strike), it never returns.
Spectral Screams CR 2
Some spirits take joy in terrifying the living. Spectral screams are collections of lesser spirits who have banded together to increase the amount of terror they can spread.
XP 600
NE haunt (10-ft. radius)
Caster Level 3rd; Notice Perception DC 10 (to hear the moaning spirits approaching)
hp 4; Weakness Intimidate; Trigger proximity; Reset 1 hour
Effect
Spectral forms of disembodied heads emerge from the floor and scream at everyone in the area, their jaws distending to an impossible width. Creatures are affected by scare. The spectral heads take pride in terrorizing their victims; if a creature succeeds at a DC 16 Intimidate check to demonstrate its own frightening nature, the spirits decide the PC is the true winner of the current contest, after which they lose interest in the PCs for 1 hour as if reduced to 0 hit points.
DESTRUCTION
The spectral screams haunt is destroyed if a creature spends 8 consecutive hours sleeping in its area.
Demanding Dead CR 3
Some haunts influence the thoughts and actions of those in the mortal realms to communicate their anger, desires, or goals, which can lead to instances of direct-voice channeling and automatic writing. While the demanding dead are sometimes malevolent, more often there is a method to their requests, which could potentially reveal shocking secrets or the key to putting them to rest forever.
XP 800
Alignment varies persistent haunt (15-ft. radius)
Caster Level 1st
Notice Perception DC 15 (to hear faint mutterings and feel a cool breeze); hp 13; Weakness tricked by hide from undead; Trigger proximity; Reset 1 day
EFFECT
This haunt seeks to influence the actions of the living, targeting a victim with a suggestion effect or a heightened command (save DC 14 for either). Depending on the haunt’s alignment and goals, the suggested actions may be malicious (such as subtly putting its victims in harm’s way or sowing antagonistic interactions) or benign (such as prompting mysterious automatic writings or unconscious utterances in hopes of communicating its ambitions to the world of the living).
DESTRUCTION
A demanding dead typically asks for rest for its mortal remains or the resolution of desires unfulfilled in life. Fulfilling the request dismisses the haunt.
Foreboding Mist CR 3
Foreboding mists lurk in ill-kept graveyards, drawing their substance from the unrest of all who are buried below. They manifest regardless of the weather, and target the minds of those who fail to recognize they are not entirely real.
XP 800
NE persistent haunt (15-ft. radius)
Caster Level 3rd; Notice Perception DC 15 (to notice a chill fog forming)
hp 13; Weakness slow; Trigger proximity; Reset 1 hour
Effect
A chilly fog descends, twisting and condensing into claws that grab and prod those within it. This fog functions as per haunting mists (DC 13).
DESTRUCTION
Casting consecrate on the ground underneath the mist prevents it from returning.
Buried Alive CR 4
The spirits of those unfortunate souls who are buried alive sometimes clamber to force others to share their fate.
XP 1,200
NE persistent haunt (15-ft. radius)
Caster Level 5th; Notice Perception DC 20 (to hear a shovel cleaving through dirt)
hp 18; Trigger proximity; Reset 1 day
Effect
On the first round, spectral gravediggers create a single 15-foot-deep pit covering the haunt’s entire radius. Creatures in the area must succeed at a DC 15 Reflex saving throw or fall to the bottom of the pit, taking 2d6 points of damage.
Creatures who succeed leap to a square at the edge of the pit. The walls of the pit are uneven (Climb DC 20). On the second round, the spectral gravediggers fill the pit with loose, spectral dirt, burying everyone still inside. Buried creatures are pinned, but they can reduce their condition to grappled with a successful DC 15 Strength check. They take 1d6 points of nonlethal damage each minute, and begin to suffocate after 10 minutes. Creatures outside of the pit can dig out the buried creatures. Each 5-foot cube of spectral dirt weighs 1,000 pounds; a creature can move 5 times her maximum load worth of dirt per minute, or 10 times her maximum load if she has a shovel. If the haunt is dispersed, buried creatures automatically rise to the surface.
DESTRUCTION
The haunt can be permanently destroyed if a character finds the bones of the person who was buried alive, exhumes them, coats them in holy water, and reburies them in a temple of their patron deity.
Spectral Vermin CR 5
Overwhelming, unresolved guilt—or horrific death by thousands of tiny teeth—can lead to the manifestation of ghostly vermin swarms. The haunted area often displays signs of ancient rodent infestation.
XP 1,600
Alignment CE free-roaming persistent vaporous haunt (30-ft.-by-30-ft. room)
Caster Level 5th
Notice Perception DC 15 (to hear scratching in walls); hp 22; Weakness tricked by hide from undead; Trigger proximity; Reset 1 day
EFFECT
This free-roaming haunt wanders the vacant halls of old manors and dank dungeons. When the haunt is triggered, the skeletal remains of spectral rats burst forth from every crack and crevice of the room, scurrying over the area and voraciously consuming trespassers, as the summon swarm spell.
DESTRUCTION
A character must ritually kill a common cat in the area. The cat’s ghost manifests and consumes the ectoplasmic swarm over the course of 1 week, earning both the cat and the rats permanent rest.
Belated Arrival CR 5
The regret of those who arrived too late to spare others a terrible fate can manifest as a haunt. A belated arrival haunt often arises near another haunt or undead, representing the fate that these regretful spirits were not fast enough to stop. A belated arrival haunt is often chained to a ghost but a necrocraftis a truly horrifying alternative.
XP 1,600
N chained haunt (25-ft. radius)
Caster Level 9th; Notice Perception DC 20 (to hear running footsteps)
hp 22; Weakness slow; Trigger proximity; Reset 1 day
Effect
The spectral forms of several people take faltering steps before falling to their knees and wailing with grief. All creatures in the area are exhausted (no save, as per waves of exhaustion) and are slowed for 13 minutes as per slow unless they succeed at a DC 16 Will saving throw.
DESTRUCTION
These spirits find rest only if those they could not save lead them to the afterlife.
Unsolved Murder CR 6
After a merchant was murdered at a party being held to celebrate his latest venture, his spirit was obsessed with finding his killer and exacting vengeance. It has clung to his body for years, hoping for a hapless grave robber to inadvertently become the pawn of his unfinished business.
XP 2,400
NE latent* persistent possessing haunt (up to a 30-ft. radius)
Caster Level 6th; Notice Perception DC 25 (to notice the corpse’s hand twitching)
hp 27; Trigger touch; Reset 1 week
Effect
The merchant’s spirit subtly possesses the creature who touched his corpse (even if the creature touched it with a tool), as per riding possession (Will DC 17 negates), except he and the host can communicate telepathically. He nudges his host toward investigating his murder. On any day his host makes progress, he is pleased and grants his host a +2 morale bonus on skill checks. If his host does not make progress for 1 week, he curses his host in a fit of rage. This functions as per bestow curse (Will DC 16 negates), except the spirit can remove it whenever he chooses. He can apply one new curse per week.
DESTRUCTION
The merchant’s spirit can rest only if the murderer dies in an act of revenge. If the murderer dies of other causes before this can happen, the merchant’s spirit demands another form of harsh vengeance against the murderer’s memory or family.
Malignant Weapon CR 7
Sometimes a weapon that slays a powerful witch or hag becomes tainted by the victim’s malignant hatred.
Although haunted weapons often still bear holy marks from the original owners or relics like bones from a revered saint, these are never sufficient to contain the malevolence that dwells within the weapon.
XP 4,800
Alignment LE persistent item-bound haunt (haunted object affecting up to a 35-ft. radius)
Caster Level 7th
Notice Perception DC 25 (to hear distant cackling when touching the weapon); hp 36; Weakness tricked by invisibility; Trigger special (see below); Reset 1 day
EFFECT
Whenever the wielder of the haunted weapon threatens a critical hit with the weapon, the area immediately resonates with a cacophonous cackling. All creatures within a 35-foot radius centered on the weapon suffer the effects of a song of discord spell (Will DC 17 negates) for the next 8 rounds. If the weapon’s wielder is affected, she gains a +2 bonus on the critical confirmation roll.
DESTRUCTION
The weapon must be boiled in the cauldron of a willing hag’s coven, which destroys both the weapon and the cauldron at the same time.
Betrayal CR 7
When the sting of betrayal lingers beyond the grave, it can manifest as a disjointed mass of confused and paranoid spiritual energy that can turn even the closest of allies against one another.
XP 3,200
CE persistent haunt (30-ft. radius)
Caster Level 7th; Notice Perception or Sense Motive DC 20 (to see the outlines of a dozen cloaked figures begin to form or feel a sudden sense of suspicion)
hp 31; Trigger proximity; Reset 1 day
Effect
As dozens of cloaked figures swarm the area, the line between friend and foe blurs, and paranoia descends upon everyone within the haunt’s area, as per confusion (Will DC 15 negates). Furthermore, creatures within the haunt’s area must attempt a DC 15 Will saving throw against the haunt’s curse. Until it is removed, the curse forces its victims to attempt saving throws against spells, including those designated harmless. Additionally, the victims cannot benefit from any effect that requires them to treat another creature as an ally, such as flanking or aid another. Remove curse can remove this effect.
DESTRUCTION
The betrayal haunt is destroyed if a victim falls unconscious or dies because of damage it took on behalf of another creature in the area. Any spell or ability that allows for the transfer of damage, such as shield other or a life oracle’s lifelink ability, satisfies this haunt’s requirement. This doesn’t work if the characters in question colluded to manufacture the damage transfer to destroy the haunt; it works only if it was a truly selfless act of protecting another.
Watery Grave CR 8
Watery grave haunts typically travel aboard ghost ships, protecting the ghost vessel’s passengers. When the ghost ship’s captain boards an enemy vessel, the watery grave haunt drifts aboard as well.
XP 4,800
CE chained free-roaming persistent haunt (one ship, up to a 40-ft. radius)
Caster Level 9th; Notice Perception DC 20 (to hear bubbles rising to the surface of the water)
hp 36; Trigger proximity; Reset 1 day
Effect
A ghostly tendril of water erupts from the sea and forces itself into the lungs of a living creature aboard the ship, which then begins to drown. This functions as per suffocation (Fortitude DC 17 negates). The haunt affects one additional victim each round until it is dispersed.
DESTRUCTION
The watery grave haunt is destroyed if the ghost ship’s captain is permanently destroyed.
Insidious Presence CR 9
This haunt hides within a host’s body, at first offering tempting boons to make the host comfortable with their presence before ultimately seeking the host’s destruction.
XP 4,800
Alignment NE possessing persistent spiteful haunt (45-ft. radius when not possessing a creature)
Caster Level 10th
Notice Perception DC 20 (to feel a malignant presence and hear faint mutterings); hp 40; Trigger proximity; Reset 1 day
EFFECT
This haunt subtly possesses a living host as possession* (Will DC 20 negates) in order to sow fear and injury in the wider world. When it first possesses a host creature, the insidious presence may offer enticing boons for several months using its shadow conjuration effect (such as summoning allies to assist the host). But soon, the haunt’s inner malignancy takes over as it uses its shadow conjuration (DC 18 where applicable) to produce harmful or even deadly effects against its host.
An insidious presence that has slain a number of different hosts equal to its CR undergoes a startling transformation.
This powerful entity has CR of 12, learns to utilize greater shadow conjuration (DC 22 where applicable), has a caster level of 14, has a radius of 60 feet when not possessing a creature, and has 54 hit points.
DESTRUCTION
An insidious presence can be destroyed only if an innocent creature willingly accepts it into its body and then intentionally sacrifices its life to destroy the haunt forever.
Devouring Maws CR 9
A pack of ravenous ghouls descended upon a once-peaceful town, killing or transforming all of its denizens who were not fast enough to flee. The ghouls’ unending hunger blended with the townsfolk’s horrifying memories of death to produce the devouring maws haunt.
XP 6,400
CE persistent haunt (30-ft. radius)
Caster Level 9th; Notice Perception DC 20 (to hear teeth scraping against bone)
hp 40; Trigger proximity; Reset 1 day
Effect
A swarm of disembodied mouths fills the area. Each humanoid creature in the area must succeed at a DC 21 Fortitude save or be paralyzed, as per mass hold person. The maws swarm around paralyzed creatures, dealing them 4d6 points of damage per round. Elves are immune to the effects of this haunt.
DESTRUCTION
Living (though not necessarily sentient) creatures with a combined weight of at least 10,000 pounds must be left in the area to be devoured over the course of a single day.
Living Decay CR 10
Among the most frightening diseases are those that cause their victims’ bodies to rot away. A living decay haunt arises when an epidemic of such a disease devastates a population.
XP 9,600
NE persistent haunt (50-ft. radius)
Caster Level 9th; Notice Perception DC 20 (to smell decaying flesh)
hp 45; Weakness remove disease; Trigger proximity; Reset 1 day
Effect
The area fills with a potent miasma that reeks of decaying flesh. Everyone within the radius must succeed at a DC 20 Fortitude save or contract the disease living rot, as detailed below, except they bypass the latent/carrier state. Within the haunt’s area, the disease’s frequency increases to 1 round and its save DC increases to 20. Characters who succeed at this saving throw are not immune; they must attempt a new saving throw each round they remain in the haunt’s area. Reducing the haunt to 0 hit points does not remove the disease. A character who casts remove disease on the living decay haunt deals it an amount of damage equal to her caster level.
DESTRUCTION
Casting heal on each remaining body in the original victims’ mass grave (or a single casting of mass heal) prevents this haunt from returning.
Living Rot
Type disease, contact, inhaled, or injury; Save Fortitude DC 17; Track physical; Frequency 1/day
Effect
In the weakened state, the target also takes a –2 penalty on Strength– and Dexterity-based skill checks and ability checks. In the impaired state, the target takes a 50% miss chance on attack rolls and the target’s speed is reduced by half (minimum 5 feet). All objects touched at the impaired state and beyond can transfer the disease; Cure 2 consecutive saves, penalties from the weakened state and worse are permanent until the victim is the target of heal or regenerate
Eternal Pyre CR 11
An eternal pyre is formed from the spirits of people who were burned alive during an overzealous witch trial. It hates all living beings, but it has a strong bond of kinship with the witchfire who arose from the most powerful of those spirits. The witchfire often lurks within the haunt’s area, as her witchflame intensifies the power of the pyre’s strikes, which in turn heal her.
XP 12,800
CE chained fast free-roaming persistent spiteful tenacious* haunt (30-ft. radius)
Caster Level 11th; Notice Perception DC 20 (to hear the crackling of a fire)
hp 49; Weakness water spells and effects (these effects damage the haunt); Trigger proximity; Reset 1 day
Effect
A pillar of black and red flames manifests within the haunt’s area each round. This pillar functions as per flame strike (Reflex DC 19 negates), except its damage is half fire and half negative energy.
DESTRUCTION
Destroying the witchfire also destroys the eternal pyre haunt.
Dissolving Vat CR 12
A sadistic alchemist conducted experiments on test subjects within his remote laboratory. When he was finished with his subjects, he threw them into a vat of harsh chemicals to dissolve. His victims’ spirits have permeated the vat, and they reach out with their oozing spectral forms toward any who come near.
XP 19,200
CE fast persistent haunt (60-ft. radius centered around the vat)
Caster Level 11th; Notice Perception DC 20 (to smell the acrid chemical tang growing stronger)
hp 54; Weakness vulnerable to acid damage (these effects damage the haunt); Trigger proximity; Reset 1 day
Effect
The chemical vat boils and froths, and spits its contents at everyone within its range each round as a ranged touch attack (+15 to hit, 4d6+6 points of damage). This damage ignores damage reduction and energy resistance. A creature hit by the chemicals must succeed at a DC 18 Fortitude save or become liquefied, as its bones and muscles melt into a pile of oozing flesh. The DC of this saving throw increases by 1 for each chemical ball that has hit the creature in the past 24 hours. A liquefied creature cannot carry, use, or wear any items, and its Dexterity score is reduced to 1. It loses all physical attacks, and it cannot cast spells with verbal or somatic components.
It gains a slam attack appropriate for a creature of one size category larger than its size (for example, 1d6 points of damage if Medium). Additionally, it gains immunity to critical hits, flanking, paralysis, poison, polymorph, sleep, and stun. A liquefied creature reverts to its normal state if the haunt is reduced to 0 hit points; otherwise, only a limited wish, miracle, regenerate, or wish spell can restore it.
DESTRUCTION
All of the alchemist’s research notes must be collected and thrown into the vat.
Heart Explosion CR 13
The spirits responsible for this haunt were scared to death, and in their attempt to force mortals to understand their fear, they cause their victims’ hearts to race faster and faster until they explode.
XP 25,600
CE fast persistent haunt (60-ft. radius)
Caster Level 13th; Notice Heal or Perception DC 20 (for affected characters to feel pressure building around their hearts)
hp 58; Trigger proximity; Reset 1 day
Effect
The spectral form of a giant beating heart appears, and the hearts of everyone within the haunt’s area begin to accelerate out of control. All creatures within the area are sickened, and must succeed at a DC 21 Fortitude save each round or be dazed and take 1d6+2 Constitution drain. If a creature who fails this saving throw has fewer than 10 hit points or reaches a Constitution score of 0, its heart forcefully explodes out of its chest, killing it instantly. The pressure of the explosion throws fragments of rib cage in all directions, dealing 2d6 points of slashing damage to all creatures within 10 feet (Reflex DC 21 negates). Creatures without hearts are immune to this haunt.
DESTRUCTION
The heart explosion haunt is destroyed if a good-aligned creature spends 3 days motionlessly meditating in the center of its area.
Crushing Terror CR 14
Tales of a legendary linnorm have drawn many daring adventurers who wish to prove themselves by slaying the dragon. The linnorm, for its part, appreciates the sport of hunting those who seek it, and is particularly fond of crushing its victims to death with its powerful tail. The spirits of these unfortunates linger on in the form of a crushing terror haunt.
XP 38,400
NE persistent haunt (30-ft. radius)
Caster Level 13th; Notice Perception DC 20 (to hear the sound of bones snapping)
hp 58; Trigger proximity; Reset 1 hour
Effect
Several copies of the same colossal dragon’s tail snake through the haunt’s area. Each round, the tails attempt to grab and constrict each creature in the area (+18 to hit, 2d6+6 points of damage plus grab, CMB +35, constrict 2d6+18 points of damage). Each round a creature takes damage from the tail’s constrict ability, one of its limbs (randomly determined) snaps into pieces, and it must succeed at a DC 22 Fortitude save or be nauseated for 1d4 rounds. Cure spells are not sufficient to repair the severely broken bones this haunt produces—only heal or stronger magic can mend them. Snapped limbs cannot be used for any purpose; having a snapped leg reduces a creature’s movement speed by half when using its legs, and having more than half a creature’s legs snapped prevents it from using any form of movement that uses its legs.
DESTRUCTION
The crushing terror haunt is destroyed if the bodies of the linnorm’s victims are retrieved from the cave where it stores them, reassembled, and buried.
Final Soldier CR 15
The ancient antipaladin general responsible for this haunt ruled through fear, and forbade his soldiers from accepting surrender or showing mercy. His favorite way to end a battle was to order his soldiers to kill everyone but the opposing army’s commander, then offer a rich reward to whichever of his soldiers could produce the opposing commander’s head.
XP 51,200
NE belligerent chained fast persistent tenacious* vaporous haunt (60-ft. radius)
Caster Level 15th; Notice Perception DC 20 (to hear the muted sounds of battle)
hp 202; Trigger proximity; Reset 1 day
Effect
A horde of armor-clad spectral soldiers rises from all sides.
On the haunt’s initiative count, five soldiers beset each creature in the area, and each soldier makes a single incorporeal touch attack with a spectral sword (+12 to hit, 2d6+9 points of damage/19–20). Creatures in the haunt’s area can attack the soldiers, but even if they destroy an individual soldier, five soldiers continue to attack each of the creatures each round until they disperse the haunt.
DESTRUCTION
The final soldier will rest only once the ancient general, who has risen as a graveknight antipaladin, is permanently destroyed.
Fallen from the Sky CR 16
A thriving metropolis on the top of a cliff customarily executed criminals by throwing them off the precipice, until the spirits of the condemned hurled the city’s head magistrate over the edge as well.
XP 76,800
NE fast increased area persistent unyielding* haunt (160-ft.- radius area along the base and upper edge of a 200-ft.-tall cliff)
Caster Level 16th; Notice Perception DC 20 (to feel a slight tremor in the ground)
hp 72; Trigger proximity; Reset 1 day
Effect
The haunt causes all creatures within the haunt’s area along the cliff’s edge to plummet 200 feet to the ground, dealing 20d6 points of damage. The haunt temporarily negates spells, spell-like abilities, and supernatural abilities within its area as per antimagic field, except it does not block effects that deal positive energy damage. The haunt’s entire area is always difficult terrain. Extraordinary abilities, such as a monk’s slow fall ability, reduce falling damage as normal. The haunt lifts creatures back to the top of the cliff on each subsequent round, but it must then succeed at a combat maneuver check to bull rush each creature off the cliff (CMB +25). Creatures with natural flight can attempt a Fly check opposed by the haunt’s CMB to control their descent and take no damage.
DESTRUCTION
The current head magistrate of the city must go to the cliff’s edge and issue individual pardons by name to everyone who was ever thrown off the cliff, even those whose names were never recorded.
Haunted Dungeon CR 17
When enough haunts gather in a single dungeon, they can combine into a gestalt haunt that infuses the entire structure with a single, malevolent will. The haunt’s source typically rests in the most difficult to find or obscure location within the structure, but it moves if it senses creatures approaching it.
XP 102,400
CE belligerent elusive* free-roaming increased area persistent tenacious* haunt (entire structure, up to a 170-ft. radius)
Caster Level 17th; Notice Perception DC 10 (to notice all of the dungeon’s furniture and trappings approaching)
hp 229; Trigger proximity; Reset 1 day
Effect
This dungeon directs its malevolence toward everyone inside of it. Its interior is under the effects of guards and wards at all times. If this ability is dispelled, the haunt recreates it when it resets the following day. Once per minute, the dungeon can gather a collection of furniture and other items to form an animated object. It can create one Colossal animated object; alternatively, it can create two Gargantuan animated objects, four Huge animated objects, and so on. It can control up to four times as many animated objects as it can create in a minute (for a total CR of 15). For the purposes of detecting creatures, the haunted dungeon and its animated objects have blindsight out to a range of the entire area of the haunt, even through walls.
DESTRUCTION
If the entire dungeon is simultaneously placed under the effects of hallow, the haunt is destroyed.
Flayed Suicide CR 18
A flayed suicide haunt arises from the spirits of people tortured beyond insanity, until no remnants of their former essence remain. Only kytons are capable of the depths of depravity required to produce this powerful, disturbing vestige of suffering.
XP 153,600
NE belligerent persistent unyielding* haunt (up to a 90-ft. radius)
Caster Level 20th; Notice Perception DC 20 (for affected characters to notice a prickling sensation in their skin)
hp 243; Trigger proximity; Reset 1 day
Effect
Hundreds of razor-sharp knives appear and carve into the skin of those in the haunt’s area. An affected creature can attempt a DC 25 Fortitude save to maintain the connection between its skin and its body. On a successful save, the creature takes 10d6 points of slashing damage.
Creatures that fail this saving throw take 20d6 points of slashing damage as they are flayed alive. The skin of each flayed creature animates into a necromantic puppet that single-mindedly tries to kill its source. The skin carries all of the creature’s equipment (and thus the creature loses access to this equipment), has access to all of its abilities, and shares its statistics, except its hit point total is equal to half the original creature’s maximum hit points. If the skin uses one of the creature’s limited-use abilities, it counts against the creature’s total uses for the day. A flayed creature is permanently sickened, and is staggered from the pain unless it succeeds at a DC 25 Fortitude save at the beginning of its turn. Even if she defeats her necrotic skin, a flayed creature’s skin never regrows naturally, and can only be restored with regenerate.
DESTRUCTION
A flayed herald of a deity must be reunited with its skin and cured of its madness to give the haunt its final rest.
If a character manages this feat, all flayed suicide haunts in existence on any plane are instantly destroyed.
Soul Vortex CR 19
The soul vortex is a gaping wound in the fabric of reality connected to the Negative Energy Plane. One may form at the site of a massive tragedy that claims hundreds of thousands of lives. The soul vortex annihilates the souls of anyone unfortunate enough to encounter it, and rips through the protections that even the most experienced adventurers consider unassailable.
XP 204,800
NE belligerent fast persistent unyielding* haunt (up to a 95-ft. radius)
Caster Level 20th; Notice Perception DC 20 (for affected creatures to notice a fundamental feeling that something is wrong within them)
hp 256; Trigger proximity; Reset 1 day
Effect
A black vortex appears in the center of the haunt’s radius, and tugs inexorably on the souls of all creatures within its reach. Each round, before it targets their souls, the vortex first targets the magic protecting them, affecting each creature with a greater dispel magic effect that targets death ward or any other spells that would prevent level drain first. After the dispelling effect, the creature must succeed at a DC 23 Will save to partially resist the vortex’s pull. On a success, the creature takes 1d4 negative levels. On a failure, that creature’s soul is wrenched out of its body and destroyed. Only miracle or wish can reconstitute a soul that the vortex devours. The vortex gains 5 temporary hit points for each level it drains— treat devouring a soul as draining as many negative levels as it would normally take to kill the creature. These temporary hit points stack and last for 1 hour. The soul vortex haunt is immune to the spells heal and mass heal. Creatures normally immune to fear lose that immunity within this haunt’s radius.
DESTRUCTION
The soul vortex haunt can only be destroyed if the phylactery of a lich of CR 20 or higher that is currently destroyed and awaiting rejuvenation is cast into it. This act destroys both the vortex and the phylactery.
Twisted Wish CR 20
A twisted wish haunt can only arise in the most extraordinary circumstances, when a genie noble of considerable power dies with vengeance in its heart. It rests in places like wells or fountains where people go to make wishes, so it can use its powers frequently.
XP 307,200
LE belligerent free-roaming unyielding* haunt (up to a 100-ft. radius)
Caster Level 20th; Notice Perception DC 35 (to notice a slight stutter in time originating from the center of its radius)
hp 120; Trigger proximity; Reset 1 day
Effect
The twisted wish haunt collects the wishes of those who come near it, and stores them until it decides to grant them at its leisure and in its own warped fashion. The haunt understands all languages, as per tongues, and does not need to manifest to hear every spoken wish and read every written wish within its radius. The haunt can manifest once per day to cast wish to grant any wish from its collection.
It does not need to wait for a creature to enter its radius to manifest. The twisted wish is immune to the spells heal and mass heal. Unlike the effects of a typical haunt, the wishes this haunt grants do not count as fear effects. The haunt can fly at a speed of 10 feet even when it is not manifested, but it rarely chooses to do so unless its current region isn’t providing enough victims, or it perceives someone as a potential threat.
DESTRUCTION
The sheer number of wish spells this haunt can bring to bear makes it nearly invincible. Only the direct intervention of a deity can destroy the twisted wish haunt.
