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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Faolyn" data-source="post: 9376382" data-attributes="member: 6915329">Aaand... back.A while ago, [USER=6999771]@DarkRainbowFiend[/USER] put in a request for the sheet phantom and ghoul. I thought that we’d have to wait until we hit the Fiend Folio MCA—but it turns out that there was an Ecology of the Sheet Phantom in #276. Hope you like it!(Or rather, Creature Codex: The Ecology of the Sheet Phantom. Why they had to change the title, I don’t know.)In the 1e Fiend Folio, the sheet phantom is a form of wraith that just happens to look like a sheet, and is likely an undead lurker because it crawls along walls and ceilings and then drops down and suffocates their victims. 2e’s FF drops the wraith idea but keeps the undead lurker theory, and also proposes a second theory: they’re actual sheets that have absorbed the evil essence of evil people who died in bed.In a take that! to the Fiend Folios, The Ecology of the Sheet Phantom declares the “undead lurker” theory to be utter nonsense—lurkers are far bigger than sheet phantoms, plus lurkers are found in dungeons while sheet phantoms are found in people’s homes. Instead, it uses the evil-infused sheet theory. At this point, the Ecologies were still written in the form of a story with footnotes (I hated it when they went to simple lists of dry facts), so the story it starts with a Scrooge-type old man dying in bed of a fever because he doesn’t want to spend 3 gp for medicine or a copper or two for wood for the fireplace, then returning as a sheet phantom to protect his life’s savings from a couple of burglars, one of whom he ends up possessing.The Fiend Folios both place the emphasis on the ghouls, presumably since they’re the more actively dangerous of the pair. This article emphasizes the phantom, which I agree is where the emphasis belongs, since they’re the original, and the creepier of the two.Sheet phantoms become ghouls by merging with a corpse—I had only skimmed through the entries before and thought that they created ghouls. Having them become the ghouls is pretty cool, though, although I have no idea if they can revert to sheet form. I’m choosing the believe they can and have included that in this write-up.Sheet Phantom and Sheet GhoulCreature Codex, Dragon Magazine #276Creature by David Wormell and Johnathan M. Richards; art by Dennis CramerThese strange undead come in two forms: the phantom and the ghoul. The phantom looks very much like a stereotypical bedsheet ghost costume, although translucent and without the eyeholes. They move slowly, hovering just off the ground. When they attack, a pair of glowing green eyespots appear on their form—although often not where their eyes should be, as they can move them to any part of their form at will.A sheet ghoul appears as a withered and half-rotted walking corpse, draped in cobweb-like material the forms a burial shroud and veil. Perhaps strangely, “true” ghouls and ghasts seem to hate sheet ghouls for reasons they are generally unable to vocalize.Soaked in Evil. Sheet phantoms are created when a thoroughly nasty, cruel, and petty person dies in bed—murder, sickness, old age, it doesn’t matter. All that matters is that, at the moment of their death, their soul was trapped inside their bedsheets. As a result, nearly all sheet phantoms are found within homes. In time, most of these homes become abandoned, as even though the phantom remembers its former life, its evil nature both before and after it died ensures that, as an undead, it cares nothing for anyone else it once knew. Although they’re not bound to their homes, they rarely leave them.Smotherers. Sheet phantoms attack by smothering their prey within their cloth bodies. Many kill for the sake of killing and to revel in watching the life drain out of their victim’s eyes; they gain no actual sustenance through this act. These phantoms will kill anything that moves, including mice and other harmless pests, leaving their homes utterly barren of life. Others do so out of jealous territoriality. They view their homes as their domains and everything within as theirs and theirs alone. Anyone, resident or intruder alike, who enters is seen as a potential thief to be slain.Phantom to Ghoul. When a sheet phantom kills a humanoid, it may wrap itself around the corpse like a shroud. Twelve hours later, the corpse rises as a sheet ghoul, as the spectral fibers of its sheet break down into cobweb-like material. This action is instinctual on the phantom’s part—they rarely seem to care what form they take, although some appreciate regaining fingers. Like other ghouls, they hunger for carrion, although they also eat fresh meat. Should its ghoul form be killed, the fibers that hang from its body will slowly coalesce once again into a sheet until it once again finds a corpse to take over.Climate/Terrain: any climate; ruin, settlementLegends and LoreWith an Arcana or Religion check, the characters can learn the following:DC 10. A sheet phantom is the angry spirit of an evil-minded mortal that died in bed.DC 15. Sheet phantoms can’t be harmed by bludgeoning weapons, although they have no particular resistance against most other types of damage. They hate sunlight and are weakened by it.DC 20. A sheet phantom can merge with the body of a humanoid it has killed, turning it into a sheet ghoul. In this form, it is more powerful and far harder to kill. However, if it is killed and the corpse not dealt with properly, the sheet with detach and return as a phantom again.Sheet Phantom EncountersChallenge Rating 1-2 sheet phantom or sheet ghoul; sheet phantom or sheet ghoul with 1-2 swarms of insects; sheet phantom or sheet ghoul with 1d4 swarms of ratsTreasure: 60 gp, copper and garnet ring (25 gp), silver candlestick (25 gp), sinner’s ashesSigns1. Spiderwebs everywhere2. The smell of rotting flesh and the buzzing in flies3. A distant sound of flapping cloth, as if on a clothesline4. The sense of being watchedBehavior1. Draped over furniture motionlessly, disguised as a normal drop cloth2. Crawling along the ceiling; attacks on sight3. Wrapped around a corpse4. In ghoul form, devouring a dead animal or personSheet Phantom (or Ghoul)Medium undead; Challenge 1 (200 XP)AC 13HP 27 (6d8; bloodied 13)Speed 20 ft., climb 20 ft., fly 20 ft. (hover; phantom form only)STR 15 (+2) DEX 16 (+3) CON 10 (+0)INT 10 (+0) WIS 10 (+0) CHA 10 (+0)Proficiency +2; Maneuver DC 13Skills Perception +2, Stealth +5Damage Immunities acid, poisonCondition Immunities charmed, fatigue, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, proneSenses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12Languages understands the languages it knew in life but can’t speakBludgeoning Immunity (Sheet Form Only). The sheet phantom is immune to bludgeoning damage.False Appearance (Sheet Form Only). While motionless, the sheet phantom is indistinguishable from a normal sheet.Renewed Unlife (Ghoul Form Only). When the sheet phantom is reduced to 0 hit points, then unless the body is completely destroyed, such as by fire, the sheet will detach itself from the corpse 2d4 days later and become a sheet phantom again.Spider Climb. The sheet phantom can use its climb speed even on difficult surfaces and upside down on ceilings.Sunlight Sensitivity. While in sunlight, the sheet phantom has disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Perception checks that rely on sight, and its speeds are reduced to 10 feet.ActionsMultiattack (Ghoul Form Only). The sheet ghoul attacks twice: once with its bite or its acid spittle and once with its claws.Bite (Ghoul Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d4+3) piercing damage plus 2 (1d4) acid damageClaw (Ghoul Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d4+3) slashing damageAcid Spittle (Ghoul Form Only). The sheet phantom targets one creature within 15 feet of it. That creature must make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw or take 5 (1d10) acid damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one.Smother (Sheet Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one Large or smaller creature. Hit: 5 (1d4+3) bludgeoning damage and the target is grappled (escape DC 13). Until this grapple ends, the target is blinded, restrained, and can’t breathe. When the phantom is dealt damage while it is grappling, it takes half the damage (rounded down) and the other half is dealt to the grappled target. If the phantom takes bludgeoning damage, the grappled target takes all the damage. The phantom can only have one creature grappled at once.If the target is a humanoid and dies from this attack, the sheet phantom wraps itself around the corpse. If left undisturbed for 12 hours, the phantom and corpse merge and it arises as a sheet ghoul.Bonus ActionsClaw (Ghoul Form Only). The sheet phantom makes a claw attack.</blockquote>

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