Character Challenge 2026 - Catching Up - Otto's Ghosties

Ghostie armor is
technological, not magic

This collection of characters is all third-level characters with secret weapons. They are known to Otto, and he fears them with good reason. 

Of course, these characters were created for Old School Essentials, but I am going to link to a copy of Fiend Folio on Drivethru. It fits the vibe of these three characters and their creepy equipment. 

Thomas Reed, Third Level Human Thief

STR 11
INT 10
WIS 13
DEX 15
CON 12
CHA 14

HP 10
AC 7 Leather

GP: 7 SP: 100 CP: 100 EP: 0 PP: 0 Gems: a small diamond, 100 gps

Spells: None
Languages: Common

Equipment: 
Elven cloak
Ghostie dagger
Ghostie veil

Greta Southpaw, Third Level Fighter

STR 16
INT 12
WIS 11
DEX 14
CON 14
CHA 10

HP 22
AC 4 Chain and Shield

GP: 67 SP: 80 CP: 18 EP: 0 PP: 0 Gems: None

Spells: None
Languages: Common

Equipment
Ghostie chainmail
Ghostie longsword
Normal shield
Ghostie veil

Marrick Hollower, Third Level Fighter

STR 13
INT 10
WIS 11
DEX 12

CON 14
CHA 15

HP 27
AC 4 Chain and Shield

GP: 100 SP: 25 CP: 25 EP: 0 PP: 0 Gems: None

Spells: None
Languages: Common

Equipment
Ghostie chainmail
Ghostie axe
Ghostie shield
Ghostie veil

Previously, I mentioned Ghostie equipment. Rather than sketch out these characters, I will describe the Ghostie weapons and armor they have and how they use them. 

Ghostie equipment is high tech, not magical. All Ghostie equipment is old and battered. 

Ghostier armor and weapons have many strange properties. Ghostie equipment is always +1. However, it has many other properties that inspire terror in opponents. Creatures of animal intelligence must make a morale check when the equipment is around. Typically, they will flee rather than stay around to fight someone using Ghostie equipment. 

Let's start with the armor. 

Ghostie equipment cannot be directly sensed. It can only be seen out of the corner of the eye. Once out of sight, creatures forget they saw it. If worn and buttoned up for combat, it stops making any noise caused by movement. Distressingly, the wearer's voice and breathing are amplified. The wearer cannot stop this. If the wearer is motionless and quiet, there is a good chance (a save vs. paralyzation) that they will be mistaken for an empty suit of armor. AND forgotten when the creature looks away. 

Opponents should flee.

If someone asks the DM about this property, the DM should gaslight them: 

"Armor? I didn't say armor. Oh my god, an armored thing sneaking up on you - roll for initiative!" 

If you can manage to get a jolt out of players, do it a couple of times in a row. Don't let the PC's make any rolls except initiative. Do everything yourself. At the start of each round, use a script like this: 

"You're winded and lying on the ground. As you stand up, you can't remember how you came to be on the floor. It seems important. The room is empty except for scuff marks on the ground where you fought...  

"The armored thing is coming at you! You remember it hit you. Roll for initiative!" 

Lather, rinse, repeat. Eventually, this will get old, and you should stop. Assume the terror is weakened by exposure. Animals won't hang out for this type of abuse. After a while, the characters will figure out how to compensate for the forgetting and the terror. Any indirect spell or weapon can easily hit Ghostie armor, such as fireball, magic missile, vials of oil or acid, etc. 

Ghostie weapons are +1 to hit and damage. Since they can't be seen directly, the user gains a bonus of 1 to their AC. On to hit rolls, a natural 20 skips the damage roll. The strike will do weapon type's maximum damage ( and a +1) and forces a roll vs. poison. If this save failed, in 1d3 days, the character will begin to suffer from infection. This is caused by the debris and dirt that the weapon pushed into the wound. 

Ghostie weapons are also invisible to direct sight and are forgotten once out of sight, just like the armor. This creates a curious problem when they get dropped because they affect the owner as much as opponents. 

These three men have a sheet of Ghostie material that they cut up to use as a mask or veil. It is utterly terrifying because their faces are blank spaces, but it doesn't have the full effect of armor or weapons. 

The most common armor is plate and mail, followed by chainmail, and/or shields. There is no such thing as soft Ghostie armors. Weapons come in several types: hook-like daggers, axes, stilettos, and long swords. There are no Ghostie missile weapons, spears, hammers, or maces. 

Let me know what you think.