| Other Names | Night Terror, Grave Fiend |
| Climate/Terrain | Any |
| Frequency | Rare |
| Organization | Group |
| Activity Cycle | Nocturnal |
| Diet | Special |
Ghouls appear as humanoid creatures with a monstrous and bestial appearance. Though vaguely human shaped, these hideous creatures prowl and run on all fours. They have rough pale skin, long filthy claws, bloody fangs and stringy hair. Their eyes are black and pupiless. Ghouls growl, snarl and bark. They are rarely quiet. They have a strong and foul odor which is can be smelled at some distance.
In battle, ghouls lash out with claw and fang. Their frenzied attacks are fierce and fast, but lack any strategy. They are little more than animals, but they are pack hunters and ghouls usually attack in groups. They fear fire and bright lights and both can be used to keep ghouls at bay. Ghouls are highly aggressive and rarely retreat. They have no language and are no more intelligent than dogs.
Ghouls will not eat those they kill right away. They prefer the rotting flesh of corpses that have ripened by at least a few days.
Ghouls dislike sunlight. They prefer to be active at night, at dusk or on dark and cloudy days. They are always active in caves, crypts, catacombs and other underground locales.
Ghouls can be found in almost any geographic region or habitat. They typically lurk around graveyards, crypts, dungeons and catacombs. Ghouls feed on corpses. They can sometimes be found prowling battle fields after a major battle, feeding on the flesh of the dead. They will occasionally kill wounded soldiers on the battle field hoping to feed on the flesh of the corpses after they have had a chance to ripen. They can also be found in dark forests and dank swamps.
Ghouls tend to congregate in groups and dwell in underground “nests” that they build themselves. These nests are dug into the ground and covered in felled trees and branches in a haphazard maze like fashion. Smaller nests may have only a six or seven ghouls, but large nests may be home to many dozens of the creatures.
Each ghoul was once a person, but was mutated into the hideous form of a ghoul. Any person, regardless of race, killed by a ghoul will rise as a ghoul in 24 hours. Furthermore, anyone wounded by a ghoul will become sick with "ghoul fever". This illness will cause them to become progressively weaker and paler with each hour. Most people succumb to this disease within 24 to 48 hours. Once they die, they will rise as a ghoul the next day. Ghoul fever can be cured by certain healing spells and curative potions. Most humanoid races are suceptible to ghoul fever.
It is not known how the first ghouls came into being. Some scholars argue this is another dark magic weapon from the Great War which got out of control or perhaps a magical experiment gone awry. Other scholars believe the first ghouls may have evolved by being corrupted through prolonged contact with dark and powerful magic. Whether their creation was an accident or intentional, natural evolution or by design, it no longer matters. Ghouls spread quickly over the centuries, feasting on the death and misery of wars and plagues. Ghouls can now be found throughout the world, wherever dead bodies might be found.
This website was last updated April 30, 2025. Copyright 1990-2025 David M. Roomes.