Roleplayer #18, February 1990
Specters
Options for the Uneasy Dead
by Steffan O'Sullivan
Specter
ST: 0 Speed/Dodge: 4/5 Size: 1
DX: 11-14 PD/DR: 0/0 Origin: ML/Universal
IQ: 10 Damage: * Habitats: Other, Sub
HT: 10-30 Reach: C,1
Specters are ghosts, of course. There is no real difference between a ghost,
specter, shade, revenant, etc. -- the choice of name is an arbitrary one.
If the GM wills it so, they have all the capabilities of classic ghosts:
the ability to walk through walls, moan and clank chains, float through
the air, appear and disappear at will, etc. The ability to appear or disappear
requires a whole action -- they may not attack and disappear before the
PC has a chance to make an action.
A specter in GURPS
is a type of ghost that resents the living, so much so that it attempts
to destroy us. It haunts old burial grounds, dungeons, prison cellars --
anywhere a vindictive and disgruntled human has been buried. A specter is
usually bound to a specific territory: a room, tomb, graveyard,
castle, etc.
To represent the unknown qualities of specters, this creature is not defined
specifically. The GM may choose offensive and defensive options from the
following lists, or create his own. The PCs might meet different types of
specters even in the same locale -- this will keep the game fresh and the
players from knowing in advance what tactics will work. Of course,
a GM may decide all specters in his world are of a certain type, making
his own job a little less complex!
Specters can be designed to be easy, average, or hard opponents to overcome.
Choosing just one of the following capabilities makes for a relatively easy
opponent, two make for a good challenge, and three can create a killer.
Combining a physical attack capability (types 1 through 5) with one of the
spell-casting abilities (types 6 through 12) is a good way to make a specter
more interesting.
Offensive Capabilities
In general, specters attack with their DX, even those with weapons (thus,
it is not necessary to keep track of their weapon skills). Those who attack
with a touch cannot be parried or blocked, only dodged. If they move into
the PC's hex and attempt to touch, treat it as an attack, not a slam. Specific
possibilities for spectral offense include:
1. The specter resembles a Skull Spirit (p. F90 / M105)
in its attack. It uses no weapons, but strikes with a chilling touch. This
touch does 2 hits of damage; armor and Toughness are no protection.
2. The specter attacks as above, but instead of damage to HT, the victim
must make a HT roll or be physically stunned and take 2 points of fatigue
damage.
3. The specter uses a weapon that it is able to materialize and de-materialize
at will. Materialization and de-materialization require a 1-second Concentrate
maneuver, and may be accomplished while it performs the same action on its
own body. Thus, a specter may walk through a wall carrying such a weapon,
and then materialize on the following turn. On the third turn it may attack
with it -- though the PCs may not be aware of it until that turn! The weapon
does normal damage for a weapon of that type as wielded by a person of ST
15. If the specter is that of a famous warrior, use the ST and skill he
had in his life.
4. The specter cannot draw blood, but is deadly nevertheless. The first
time a specter touches a person, the victim must make a HT roll (Strong
Will helps here, but Magic Resistance does not). At the second touch, the
roll is at HT-1, the third touch at HT-2, etc. A failed roll means the victim
loses one level of the highest attribute, and falls unconscious for one
hour. Thus, a PC with ST 12, DX 14, IQ 10 and HT 11 would have his DX drop
to 13 -- and all DX-based skills would be lowered one point! Only a Remove
Curse spell or Great Wish can restore the lost attribute point magically,
though it can be regained through normal character development (p. B81).
A character can only lose one level from one attribute from any given
specter. Roll randomly to choose which attribute to lower if two or
more are equally the highest.
If the victim makes the HT roll, no physical harm is done, but he is stunned
until he makes another HT roll, and will experience a cold chill running
through him.
5. The specter has a chilling scream which is, in effect, a sonic attack.
Treat this as either the Thunderclap spell (p. F22 / M66) or the Sound Jet
spell (p. M67), though it's not really a magic attack in this case.
6. The specter has such a grisly appearance that viewers are often stunned
or worse. Use the Fright Check rules on p. B93. Truly ghastly specters,
such as those that carry a dripping head, can have up to a -3 modifier to
the Will roll. Alternately, the specter can cast the Terror spell (p. M55)
or the Panic spell (p. M57).
7. The specter casts the Madness spell (p. F33 / M57) at level 15. All rules
apply: -1 per hex range, resisted by IQ-2, etc., except that it costs no
fatigue and can be cast in 2 seconds. As an option, the specter may cast
the Permanent Madness spell (p. M57).
8. The specter casts the Daze spell (p. F33 / M56) at level 15. The victim
must be IQ 7 or above. All rules except fatigue apply. Note that although
the specter itself can do no harm in this case, other denizens of a haunted
area will have learned about this free-lunch program.
9. The specter casts the Sickness spell (p. F33 / M56) at level 15. The
spell lasts until the victim leaves the haunted area or the specter is banished
or destroyed. This spell may be cast on only one victim at a time. The GM
may reduce casting time to 3 seconds or even less.
10. The specter casts the Death Vision spell (p. F30 / M61) at level 15.
All rules except fatigue apply.
11. The specter casts the Possession spell (p. F27 / M27). It might be a
while before the other PCs know one of their party has been taken over --
then again, they might know immediately if he starts attacking them!
12. The specter casts the Lesser Geas spell (p. F34 / M58) to compel the
PCs to help it fulfill its goals -- see Specters' Motivations,
for some possible missions.
Some specters might have no direct offensive powers, but great nuisance
abilities. Such a creature might guide physical enemies to the object of
its revenge, or make groans to attract attention at inopportune times. This
type of specter might not be bound by geographical constraints -- the specter
of an unjustly murdered man might follow its murderer, hoping to bring about
revenge. Note that this might work in the PCs' favor or against them.
Defenses and Weaknesses
Most specters can walk right through physical barriers. Some specters are
stopped by Utter Domes, while others are not. None are bothered by Force
Domes.
In general, a specter's only defense is to dodge (unless it has a materialized
weapon). It cannot be stunned and is dispelled (permanently laid to rest)
when its HT reaches 0 -- unless number 12, below is true! If that's the
case, the specter is only temporarily dispelled when its HT reaches 0. The
GM decides how long of a reprieve the PCs have -- legends suggest anything
from a few minutes (or even seconds!), to a day, to a year, to a century!
Which of the following defenses (if any) exist is entirely up to the GM.
Obviously, since many conflict, not all of them will be true --
but they make lovely rumors!
1. The specter cannot be harmed by any physical weapons except magical ones,
which do their usual damage.
2. Magic weapons do normal damage. Large metal weapons (swords, axes, halberds,
etc.) do 2 hits of damage. Knives, wooden weapons, bullets, arrows, etc.
do 1 hit of damage. Beam weapons do no damage at all.
3. Mental spells affect it. Missile spells have no effect on it, nor does
any spell that produces a physical result (fire, water, earth, body control,
etc.).
4. The Air Jet spell (p. F18 / M31) affects it as if it were a vaporous
creature.
5. Fire spells and Air Jet are the only spells effective against
it.
6. The specter can be harmed and turned away by the Turn Zombie spell (p.
F31 / M62), exactly as if it were a zombie.
7. Persons with the Clerical Investment advantage (p. B 19 / M84) or Blessed
advantage (p. M86) can dispel a specter by taking the Concentrate maneuver
for 2 seconds and then making a quick contest of Wills with the specter.
(The GM may grant a bonus for consistent "holy" roleplaying.)
The GM makes the specter's Will roll in secret to represent the uncertainty
of this working -- in case of failure, the PC won't know if the roll failed
or the rumor is false!
8. Holy symbols, water or oil may dispel a specter. A DX roll to hit is
needed for holy water or oil, though not for held symbols. The GM may require
a quick contest of Wills, as above, or may simply require Clerical Investment
or the Blessed advantage for holy symbols to be effective.
9. Burning down a haunted structure will often cleanse it of a specter (though
it makes it useless as a dwelling, and may destroy any treasure the specter
was guarding).
10. Exorcism (p. H37 / F27 / M27) might also be effective against a specter.
11. The Banish spell (p. M64) might banish a specter for a limited time
-- anywhere from minutes to hours to days -- or even permanently, at the
GM's option.
12. There are legends of specters that could not be dispelled until someone
walked through them -- this can be true, even if the specter is capable
of reducing an attribute of anyone who tries this! Sometimes only courage
and self-sacrifice work against evil . . .
13. Some specters cannot be dispelled until a certain event occurs -- see
Specters' Motivations, above. The PCs may have to undertake a such
a task to lay a specter at rest. If the mission is no longer possible to
fulfill, the PCs may have to convince the specter that this is so -- this
may not be an easy task if the specter is bound to a physical location.
It may even make no difference to the specter, in which case the PCs may
be in for big trouble!
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