Lurker Wraith

A diaphanous, almost translucent curtain blows on a nonexistent breeze towards you. It spreads its folds wide as it approaches as if to envelop you.

Lurker Wraith (CR 10)

Large Undead
Alignment: Neutral Evil
Initiative: +5
Senses: Darkvision 60 feet; Perception +11

Speed: Fly 40 feet (average)
Space: 10 feet

Defense

Armor Class: 18, touch 10, flat-footed 17 (+1 Dex, +8 natural, -1 size)
Hit Points: 112 (15d8+30 plus 15)
Saving Throws: Fort +7, Ref +8, Will +9
Amorphous, Channel Resistance +4
Damage Reduction: 10/ silver and piercing or slashing
Immunity: undead traits
Weaknesses: sunlight powerlessness, vulnerability to fire

Offense

Melee: buffet +20 (2d4+15 plus 1d6 Con drain and Grab)
Reach: 5 feet

Special Attacks: create spawn, Smother

Statistics

Str	Dex	Con	Int	Wis	Cha
30 (+10)	12 (+1)	-	6 (-2)	11 (+0)	14 (+2)

Base Attack Bonus: +11
CMB +22 (+26 Grapple)
CMD 33 (can't be tripped)

Feats: Blind-Fight, Deceitful, Hover, Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes, Skill Focus (Perception), Skill Focus (Stealth), Toughness

Skills: Bluff +8, Disguise +12 (+20 as curtain, wall hanging or textile), Fly +3, Perception +11, Stealth +25

• Racial Modifiers: +4 Stealth, +8 Disguise as curtain, wall hanging or textile

Languages:

Special Abilities

Amorphous (Ex)

Lurking wraiths are immune to precision damage (like sneak attacks) and critical hits, and can move through an area as small as one-quarter their space without squeezing or one-eighth their space when squeezing.

Constitution Drain (Su)

Creatures hit by a lurker wraith's buffet attack must succeed on a DC 19 Fortitude save or take 1d6 points of

Constitution

drain. On each such successful attack, the lurker wraith gains 5 temporary hit points. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Create Spawn (Su)

A humanoid slain by either a lurker wraith's Constitution drain or smother attack becomes a ghoul in 1d4 rounds. Spawn are not under the command of the lurker wraith (which typically ignores them), but they do instinctively protect their creator. They do not possess any of the abilities they had in life. A humanoid of 4 Hit Dice or more rises as a ghast, not a ghoul.

Smother (Ex)

When a lurker wraith grapples a target, it continues its Constitution drain each round (though the victim is still allowed a save each round). In addition it forms an airtight seal around its prey. A grappled target cannot speak or cast spells with verbal components and must hold its breath (see "Suffocation" in Chapter 13 of the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game).

Sunlight Powerlessness (Ex)

A lurker wraith caught in sunlight cannot attack and is staggered.

Ecology

Environment: Any
Organization: solitary or pair
Treasure: none


If there is an undead form of the aberrations known as lurkers, this is surely it. They have a gauzy appearance and resemble some thin cloth, though close inspection reveals they are quite durable and thick with a certain translucence. They often disguise themselves as tapestries or curtains in order to lure the unwary into their smothering embrace. Sometimes they roll themselves up to appear as innocuous bolts of cloth before unfurling and revealing the true horror. They tend to lurk in subterranean areas or within ruins where they avoid rays of direct sunlight.

A lurker wraith is about 10 feet long by 10 feet wide and approximately 1/4 inch thick. They weigh less than 50 pounds. Lurker wraiths typically disguise themselves as ordinary textiles and then try to attack prey with surprise by buffeting them and attempting to smother.

There are often a few stray ghouls lairing near where lurker wraiths dwell - past victims that will come to defend their creator.

Credit Original author Greg A. Vaughan Originally appearing in Slumbering Tsar (© Frog God Games/ Greg A. Vaughan, 2012)