Grave Mist
Climate/Terrain: Any/Graveyard & Burial Grounds
Frequency: Very Rare
Organization: Group
Activity Cycle: Night
Diet: Corpses
Intelligence: Average (8-10)
Treasure: Nil
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
No. Appearing: 1-4
Armor Class: 4
Movement: 12
Hit Dice: 7+1
THACO: 13
No, of Attacks: 1
Damage/Attack: 1-4
Special Attacks: Constitution Drain
Special Defenses: +1 or better weapon to hit
Magic Resistance: See Below
Size: M (6')
Morale: Elite (14)
Exp . Point Value: 3000
These terrible undead are typically found in desolate graveyards and burial grounds. They do, however, dwell anywhere there are dead. Grave mists seep into the Prime Material Plane where dead bodies are present. They feed on any remaining life essence that a dead body retains.
Grave mists appear vaguely humanoid in shape with grey swirling mist as the outline of their bodies. Dark, black holes are all that show on the face to denote eyes. Their movements are swift and deft. A group may appear as smoke or fog to the unwary traveler.
Combat : A grave mist attacks with a chilling touch similar to that of a wraith, doing 1-4 points of damage as well as draining a point of constitution. This constitution drain is due to their link to the Negative Material Plane. Each chilling touch drains the victim until constitution reaches zero, causing the victim to become immobile. If a character with a constitution score of fifteen or better is drained, the hit points for that character are reduced accordingly. When the constitution score reaches seven or less, hit points are reduced as required. Constitution returns at a rate of one point per hour of complete rest; up to the victim's original score.
The grave mist has the normal undead resistances (immunity to sleep, charm, hold, or cold-based spells) as well as needing +1 or better weapons to suffer damage. In addition to being immune to cold-based spells, grave mists actually heal from such spells. Any cold-based attack inflicted against them results in the regeneration of hit points equal to one third the total damage normally taken from the attack (rounded up). For example; an ice storm is capable of doing 3-30 points of damage. If it did 20 points of damage, then the grave mist would regenerate 7 hit points. This regeneration does not exceed the grave mist's original hit points.
Habitat/Society: Grave mists travel in very loose groups that roam the Prime Material Plane in search of graveyards or the sites of recent battles. Grave mists have no leaders and as such spend most of their time looking for corpses. They put no value on wealth or treasure, however, the corpse a grave mist is feeding on may very well be loaded down with treasure.
Ecology: Like all undead, grave mists exist on both the Prime Material and Negative Material Plane simultaneously. It is this powerful link to the negative world that gives them their fearful ability to drain constitution. Through this draining is how the grave mist ultimately feeds.
Because they are not living creatures, they have no rightful place in any food chain.
Originally appeared in Eye of the Beholder III: Assault on Myth Drannor Rule Book (1993).
