Will O' Wisp

WILL O' WISP
The will o’ wisp is a dense cluster of glowing, weightless globs of light. Contrary to popular belief, the “death lantern,” as it is known in the Mistwood regions, are not spirits of the deceased. It has recently been proven by multiple reliable mages that they are in fact of Fey origin, slipping into our world through hidden doors that only Fey know how to find. For more information on the Feywild and it's nature, reference “COSMOLOGON A” by Toben the Otherworldly.

Classification:
Fey/enchanter/lurker/loomer

Demeanor:
Spooky; curious; tricksy.

Diet:
The ghostly organism feeds on the gases released by decaying plant and animal matter; hence why they are usually found in swamps or graveyards. However, this can only keep them alive for so long. In order to survive, the “death lantern,” must feed on the emotions of sentient life, and it has found that this is best accomplished using the negative emotions of fear and grief.

Habitat:
Swamps, graveyards; any place with a surplus of decaying plant/flesh matter.

Abilities:
The will o’ wisp uses its innate magical abilities to create illusory images, lights, sounds and even voices to frighten creatures, creating the raw emotion that the will o’ wisp then absorbs. This process is not harmful to the victim of the fear, but it may keep them up at night for many weeks to come, and leave them with a chilling tale to relate to their friends and relatives.

If threatened, the will o’ wisp is capable of releasing a burst of lightning energy to shock its attacker. This electronic attack is usually non-lethal, but will leave the victim with serious burns. A quick zap from one of these mischievous lights left my left foot completely hairless! My right middle toe was only half nibbled off at the time… now it is gone.

Weakness:
Give the will o’ wisp what it wants. It has no inventions of harming you; it needs only to draw on your fear. If you allow yourself to be afraid, it won’t be long before the wisp disappears, having absorbed a good meal. If you steel yourself and refuse to give in, however, you might only be making things worse for yourself, as the wisp will continue to assault you with illusions and ghostly voices in the wind until you either escape or tremble in fear.

Uses:
Will o’ wisps, if contained in a proper vessel, can be used as makeshift lanterns if supplied with compost and raw emotion every once in a while. Additionally, wizards and alchemists are continually finding uses for them in the creation of spell components, experiments with negative energy, and general study.