Haunts


The distinction between a trap and an undead creature blurs with haunts – a hazardous region created by unquiet spirits that react violently to the presence of the living. The exact conditions that cause a haunt to manifest vary from case to case – but haunts always arise from a source of terrific mental or physical anguish endured by living, tormented creatures. A single source of suffering can create multiple haunts, or multiple sources could consolidate into a single haunt. The relative power of the source has little bearing on the strength of the resulting haunt – it’s the magnitude of the suffering or despair that created the haunt that decides its power. Often, undead inhabit regions infested with haunts – it’s even possible for a person who dies to rise as a ghost (or other undead) and trigger the creation of numerous haunts. A haunt infuses a specific area, and often multiple haunted areas exist within a single structure.

Although haunts function like traps, they are difficult to detect since they cannot be easily observed until they manifest. Detect undead or detect alignment spells of the appropriate type allow an observer a chance to notice a haunt even before it manifests (allowing that character to notice the haunt, but with more difficulty than when manifested).

The area a haunt can infuse depends on its power, but the actual area is usually limited by the size of the room in which the haunt is located.

When a haunt is triggered, its effects manifest. All characters in the haunt’s proximity can attempt to notice a haunt. All haunts detect life sources and trigger as a result of the approach of or contact with living creatures, but some haunts can be tricked by effects like hide from undead or invisibility.

When a haunt manifests, positive energy applied to the haunt (via channeled energy, cure spells, and the like) can damage the haunt (attacks must strike the haunt and not merely the physical structure it inhabits to affect it). Unless the haunt has an unusual weakness, no other form of attack can damage it. If the haunt is neutralized in time, its effect does not occur.

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