Ghost

Ghost

(Creature)

Common

Ghost

Incorporeal

Spirit

Undead

Unholy

Level

Varies

Alignment

LG	NG	CG
LN	N	CN
LE	NE	CE

Adjective

Ghostly

Images of ghosts

Source: Bestiary, pg(s). 166–167

Type

Undead
(augmented, incorporeal)

CR

+2

Environment

Any

Alignment

LG	NG	CG
LN	N	CN
LE	NE	CE

Adjective

Ghostly

Images of ghosts

Source: Bestiary, pg(s). 144–145

A ghost is the spirit of a mortal creature whose soul cannot, or will not, leave a specific location in the Universe and travel on to the afterlife due to its tragic death or lack of closure.

Appearance

Ghost normally appear either as they did in life or as they did at the moment of their death, often becoming incorporeal copies of their former selves, including ghostly copies of their clothes and any items they carried.

Habitat

These restless spirits often haunt the site of their death to try to make right the untoward circumstances—real or perceived—of their death. If not where they died, ghosts can instead most often be found haunting somewhere that was deeply significant to them in life; where this is varies hugely from person to person, creature to creature. Due to this, it is not hyperbole to say that ghosts can be found practically anywhere where mortals live, for any location where there are people can either take on a supreme significance to someone, or be the sight of a horrifying tragedy.

Ecology

Ghosts exist due to some link to their former life or their death and are denied their eternal rest until this past vexation is finally resolved. What causes a ghost varies between individuals: it is often a true injustice, but also powerful emotions, like fear, fury, or even a powerful enough delusion can be responsible for a ghost rising again. Ghosts can be destroyed in combat, but such a destruction is never permanent: the only way to lay these creatures to rest forever is to determine why they have been bound to their cursed existence and set it right once and for all. Ghosts can retain the alignment of their mortal form, making them a rare form of potentially non-evil undead.

However, for many ghosts being trapped for eternity watching the world of the living but being unable to interact with those who caused their suffering drives them slowly mad, until they hate all the living, thus eventually turning thoroughly evil. Whatever it is, the ghost—while recognisable as the person they once were—is definitely no longer the mortal they once were: those who knew the person originally describe the ghost as a deathly reflection of whom they once were.

On Golarion

In Minkai, spirit world creatures such as ghosts are collectively known as yokai.

Notable ghosts

See also: Category:Ghost/Inhabitants

As ghosts cannot age nor be permanently destroyed, they often gain quite a degree of notoriety. Some of the most famous ghosts are noted below:

• Coath, The Wight Whale is a murderous whale that destroyed ships along the western coast of Garund. Coath returned as a ghost after being slain by a group of whalers from Ilizmagorti.
• Geb is without a doubt the most famous ghost on all Golarion. He rules over a nation named in his honour, condemned to rule a country he now cares little for, and unable to finally defeat his ancient rival the Archmage Nex.
• Lord Carnavy Trous was a former fixture of the Opparan social scene who was murdered by his vain wife and now haunts Trous Manor and his wife, Lady Sharrine Lemmor.
• Ordellia Whilwren is a ghost of one of the founders of the city of Magnimar who appears near the Arvensoar to provide comfort to the city during difficult times.

Types

See also: Category:Ghost creatures

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References

For additional as-yet unincorporated sources about this subject, see the Meta page.

External links

• Ghost (real-world mythical entity) on Wikipedia