Corpse Candle
Corpse candles are incorporeal spirits of murdered individuals that attempt to coerce the living into gaining revenge upon their killers. The spirit's will remains within its corpse until an instrument of revenge can be found.
Corpse candles gain their name from the slight flamelike glow that flickers in the eyes of their corpses. This glow remains until they find an instrument for their revenge, at which time the instrument gains a slight glow to his or her eyes that is only visible in the dark. The spirit only has one purpose: to track down its killer & either kill it or bring it to justice for the crime.
Corpse candles are naturally invisible & intangible. However, spells that can reveal invisible or ethereal creatures can reveal the spirit. If it has not yet found an instrument for its revenge, the spirit appears as a shapeless wisp of mist hovering over its corpse. If it has found an instrument, it appears as a ghostly image of the slain person sitting astride the instrument's shoulders.
The spirit can use the Control Flame spell against individuals that refuse to cooperate with its plan for revenge. The spirit causes the individual to see the face of its killer in all flames it views.
Combat
Rarely do corpse candles cause physical damage to those around them, rather depending on their instrument of revenge to act for them.
Statblock
Homebrew, Ravenloft: Denizens of Darkness (3.5e)
Corpse Candle CR: 6
STR
7 -2
DEX
16 +3
CON
10 +0
INT
14 +2
WIS
14 +2
CHA
17 +3
Innate Spellcasting. The corpse candle's innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 14, spell attack bonus +6). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
- At will: Control Flames, Produce Flames
Death Vision. The first humanoid to look into the eyes of the corpse candle's body must succeed on a DC 16 Charisma saving throw. If the target fails, it becomes possessed by the corpse candle & suffers the following effects:
- The target goes into a trance & experiences the full horror of the last moments of the spirit's life. Through this vision, the corpse candle gives the target a mental image of the spirit's killer & compels the target to bring the killer to justice.
- The corpse candle now occupies the same space as the target without penalty to either the itself or the target. When the target moves, the corpse candle moves with the target. During combat, the corpse candle shares initiative with the target but has its own turn after the target.
- At the start of each day, the target must succeed on a DC 14 Charisma saving throw or be compelled to bring the spirit's killer to justice for the next 24 hours. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each hour in order to end the compulsion for the day.
- The target remains possessed until the spirit's death is avenged, or the corpse candle is turned or forced out by an effect like the Dispel Evil & Good spell. When the possession ends, the corpse candle moves to an unoccupied space within 5' of the target & must spend each turn to move back to its body. The target is immune to the candle corpse's death vision for 24 hours after the possession ends.
- If the target is killed while still possessed by the corpse candle, the target's corpse becomes a new vessel for the corpse candle to attempt to use its death vision on another humanoid.
If the humanoid succeeds, it notices only as slight flicker in the eyes of the corpse & is immune to this corpse candle's death vision for 24 hours.
Ethereal Sight. The corpse candle can see 60' into the Ethereal Plane when it is on the Material Plane, & vice versa.
Incorporeal Movement. The corpse candle can move through other creatures & objects as if they were difficult terrain. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object.
Invisibility. The corpse candle is invisible.
Actions
Tendril of Flame. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (4d6 + 3) necrotic damage & 9 (2d8) fire damage.
Suggested Environments
Any climate, any terrain
Source
Ravenloft: Denizens of Darkness (3.5e), p 39-40
Dread Domains
Mordent. Any wrongful death in this domain could result in the creation of a corpse candle laying in wait for a passerby to investigate.
Zherisia. This overcrowded urban nightmare is home to a shapeshifting serial killer responsible for dozens, if not hundreds, of deaths. A corpse candle of one of its victims would be very troublesome, since the spirit would believe an innocent person was responsible for their death.
Dark Powers
Twisted Priest (V). While a corpse candle does not take complete control over the victim of its possession, it still attempts to compel its intrument on a course that could be contrary to their normal behavior.
Bloodied Pair (VI). The corpse candle's death vision makes its victims experience the confusion, fear, & pain of being murdered.
Relentless Archer (VII). The corpse candle's ability to compel its victim to pursue the spirit's killer not only inspires the fear of obsession, but also the fear of being hunted for past sins.
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