Mist Horror, Common [1280]

Climat/Terrain Ravenloft mists
Organisation Solitary
Fréquence Commun
Diète Rien
Cycle d'activité Any
Intelligence 5-7 - Intelligence basse
Trésor Nil
Alignement Neutre Mauvais
Nombres 1
Classe d'armure 2
Mouvement Au sol : 15"
Vol : - Classe de vol :
Nage :
Enfouissement :
Web :
Dés de vie
Thac0 15
Nbre d'attaques 2
Dommage / attaques 2-12/2-12
Attaques spéciales See below
Défenses spéciales See below
Résistance à la magie 50%
Taille -
Varies
Morale 11-12 - Stable
Valeur en XP 3000 xp

Commentaires : Mist horrors lurk in the swirling banks of fog that encompass all of Ravenloft. Any creature who lingers too long in the mist is sure to draw the attentions, and earn the wrath, of these horrid creatures.
While their presence is often sensed as they move by a party just outside of visual range – an unusual ripple in the vapors to one side, a strange sensation of some lurking presence – they do not allow themselves to be seen until they attack. When they do make their presence known, their form can be greatly varied, though they always appear to be made of mist. While a horror is generally man-sized, it can take any shape it desires, usually taking on a form that it knows (from an empathic probe of the victim’s mind) will cause terror. Thus, persons afraid of wolves would find themselves facing a six-foot-long wolf composed of billowing fog.
Mist horrors appear to be able to communicate teleempathically with anyone moving through the Ravenloft Mists. Thus, when they are about to attack or are stalking someone, they will send feelings of dread and fear into their minds. In addition, they often use this power to entice person outside of the mists to enter them. Communication in this manner consists of feelings and impressions rather than solid understanding. Someone being called into the mists by the foul spirits might begin to feel an mild fascination with the billowing clouds of vapor. Eventually, this interest grows into a consuming need to enter the mists.
Combat : It takes a mist horror some time (generally 1d4 turns) to assemble its physical form and attack someone travelling through the mists. Thus, those who keep moving are safe from harm as a mist horror is very restricted in its own movement and must remain within a small area. A mist horror will often use its telempathic power to make travellers feel that they are safe and can rest without danger. Once they stop moving, of course, it attacks.
When a mist horror attacks it is likely to catch its victims off guard. This is largely due to the fact that it can spring out of the swirling vapors (in which it is treated as if it were invisible) without warning. Once a mist horror assumes its combat shape (whatever form that may be), it is easy enough to detect, although it can, at will, break off from combat and return to the mists, effectively becoming invisible again. When a mist horror opts to do this (or before it assumes a combat form), it is protected from any attack as its essence disperses through the mists. However, it requires 1d4 turns to reform.
When in combat, the horror will attack in whatever manner seems appropriate for its form. Because of the mystic nature of this being, however, the number of attacks it is entitled to and the damage it inflicts remain constant (two attacks at 2d6 points each). Thus, if the horror appears as a vast, six-tentacled creature only two of its limbs would strike each round.
Because of its almost insubstantial nature, the mist horror can be hit only by +2 or better magical weapons. Further, it has an innate magic resistance (50%) that not only protects it, but radiates into an area 20’ around it, canceling the effects of all spells cast in its presence. Because this magic resistance takes the form of a mental wave that affects the minds of spell casters and upsets their ability to properly direct magical influences, it has no effect on magical items. Thus, a fireball spell directed at a mist horror has a 50% chance of failure while a wand of fireballs will work normally. Magical effects already in place (such as infravision) do not falter when they enter this aura. Spells cast within the aura must overcome both the magical resistance of the target and the effects of the spell disruption field.
Mist horrors are, in a sense, a form of undead. They can be turned as if they were “special” creatures by high-level priests and paladins. They suffer no damage from spells designed to affect undead (negative plane protection, for example) and are immune to the effects of holy water. They cannot be charmed or controlled in any way and have no physical forms to be affected by spells like cause blindness or cause light wounds.
Habitat / Société : Mist horrors are the spirits of evil beings who, while not foul enough to receive their own domain, attracted the attention of the Dark Powers with their diabolical arts during life. Upon their deaths, their spirits leave their bodies to enter the mists. Throughout Ravenloft, there is a superstition that anyone buried on a foggy day will become a mist horror. This may or may not be true, but the Vistani themselves seem to take this belief very seriously and that lends great credence to it in the eyes of many.
Once it becomes a mist horror, the evil spirit is unable to move about freely. Like the various lords scattered throughout Ravenloft, the mist horror must remain in one area. As a rule, this region is very small. Thus, as mentioned earlier, the time required for the horror to assume a dangerous form makes it possible for explorers moving through the Ravenloft Mists to avoid attack if they do not linger too long in any one place.
Because mist horrors know that they were judged to be less important than the lords of even the smallest domain, they envy them their comparative freedom and power. This hostility burns within them, making them more and more evil as time goes by. Thus, when a mist horror is encountered, it is a foul and spiteful spirit that seeks only to cause pain and suffering. If a party travelling through the mists is bearing wounded, infirm, or otherwise defenseless beings with them, these will often be the first target of a mist horror’s attack. By destroying the persons who have entrusted their well being to the might of other party members, the horrors hope to shatter the morale of the entire group.
Ecologie : As mentioned above, mist horrors are the spirits of evil beings who did not merit a place as lord of their own domain. The Vistani say they serve a vital role in maintaining the structure of Ravenloft and that the very land itself could not exist without their lingering presence. Whether this is true or not, no outsider can say.