Ash Ghoul (3.5e Monster)

''A vague humanoid form lies concealed within a cloud of roiling ash, constantly shifting and distorting, with blazing embers sparking across its form. From the barely defined mouth of this horrible, writhing creature sounds a constant wail of purest agony.''

Ash ghouls are the animated ashes of people that were burnt alive. Empowered by a grudge born of agony, they only exist to spread their suffering to others. They appear as faint humanoid forms within a maelstrom of biting ash, standing between 5 and 6 feet tall and weighing in at about 30 to 50 pounds.

Combat
Ash ghouls is comprised purely out of smoldering ash. As such, they bear many traits attributed to swarms of Fine creatures. As their body is created from miniscule particles, an ash ghoul is immune to all weapon damage, although it is not immune to the added energy damage from a special weapon enhancement. Unlike swarms, it takes no extra damage from area effects.

 : Blight&mdash;contact, Fortitude DC 14. Primary effects&mdash;vulnerability to fire, -4 penalty to Dexterity; secondary effects&mdash;50% chance to lose all actions for the round at the start of each turn.

Special&mdash;a creature with immunity to fire cannot contract ash chancre. Likewise, a creature that became immune to fire after contracting ash chancre cannot worsen its condition. An afflicted creature gains a +1 circumstance bonus to any saves against the effects of ash chancre for every 5 points of fire Resistance it has.

Ash chancre is characterized by igneous deposits accumulating within the victim's flesh, spreading through the body and growing with the ferocity of a malignant cancer. Intense pain wracks the afflicted creature as his body is slowly consumed from the inside by supernatural flame. At the final stage, the body catches fire and with one final scream, the creature dies and crumbles to ash, which turns into a new ash ghoul within the next 2d4 minutes.

 : An ash ghoul constantly projects a spiraling vortex of igneous ashes around it. Any creature within a square the ash ghoul occupies or threatens takes damage as per the ash ghoul's swarm attack. Any creature that touches, ingests, or otherwise comes in contact with an ash ghoul's vortex risks contracting ash chancre.

 : An ash ghoul can manifest a large extremity made of ash that is capable of attacking, capturing or manipulating creatures and objects within 30 feet. The ash ghoul can use this pseudopod to grapple opponents at range. Any creature successfully grappled by an ash ghoul's pseudopod takes damage as if it was inside its ash vortex.

The pseudopod can also be used to manipulate a single object or creature within the limits of a telekinesis spell, caster level 10th. To use this ability, the ash ghoul's ash must be capable of reaching the creature or object in question.

 : An ash ghoul's physical form is held together by the controlling efforts of a malevolent spirit. When an ash ghoul is brought down to 0 hit points or otherwise destroyed, the controlling spirit disperses for 2d4 minutes and leaves its ashes behind on the ground where it fell, after which it reinstates its control over its ashen form, returning with its hit points fully restored.

An ash ghoul cannot return while its ashes are in a consecrated or hallowed area, but will be able to return 2d4 minutes after its ashes are removed from such an area.

An ash ghoul can be weakened by immersing it in water. An ash ghoul immersed in water moves at half speed and cannot use its ash vortex or pseudopod attacks. Immersing an ash ghoul requires roughly the same volume of water as immersing an adult human.

* While immersed in water, the ash ghoul gains two slam attacks with a base damage of 1d4.

To permanently destroy an ash ghoul, its ashes must be gathered into a sanctified urn or similar container, which is then sprinkled with one flask of holy water and sealed. After ten minutes of being sealed in the urn, the evil spirit is forced out of the ash and returned to the afterlife.