Will-o'-wisp

Will-o'-wisps were malicious creatures that appeared as torches or lanterns seen floating through swamps.

Description
The will-o'-wisp appeared to be nothing more than a hazy ball of light, colored white, blue, green, or yellow, growing as brightly as a flaming torch. As such, it was easy to mistake one for a lantern or torch, especially in the foggy marshes they dwelled in. In fact, its faintly glowing body was just a transparent ball of spongy matter around 1 foot (30 centimeters) wide and weighing around 3 pounds (1.4 kilograms). Although they had no vocal organs, will-o'-wisps could vibrate to emit a ghostly sound, with which they could speak.

Abilities
A will-o'-wisp could extinguish its glow, becoming for all intents and purposes invisible. They typically did this when surprised or frightened.

Will-o'-wisps had total spell resistance, making them immune to most spells, apart from magic missile and maze.

A will-o'-wisp could discharge electricity, inflicting small electric shocks on attackers.

Personality
They were wicked entities that consumed the potent emotions induced by horror, panic, and death. Posing as lanterns, they reveled in luring travelers away from safe paths, bewildering them, and finally leading them into deadly danger in the swamps, where they could then feast on their desperate emotions.

Society
Will-o'-wisps were typically found singly, in pairs, or in "strings" of three or four orbs.

Some will-o'-wisps served the dark Chultan demigod Eshowdow, and their appearance was seen as a sign of his favor by his followers.

Combat
A will-o'-wisp would avoid combat if at all possible, but would attack with electric shocks if pressed.

Lands
Will-o'-wisps were found in the Vast Swamp, where they were often sighted from the Way of the Manticore. They might also be found in its counterpart in the Plane of Shadow, the Shadow Swamp.

They also harassed travelers in the Glaun Bog of Tasseldale.

Notable Will-o'-Wisps
A squadron of will-o'-wisps once occupied Durlag's Tower in the Western Heartlands, but found themselves utilized as a part of the tower's own defenses.

In early Eleint of the Year of Lightning Storms, 1374 DR, a will-o'-wisp cooperated with the Sharran cultists at the Lost Refuge in the Vast Swamp. It posed as a torch outside the gatehouse and haunted the surrounding swampland, while helping to defend the base from intruders. It was presumably destroyed by adventurers in service to Mystra when they assault the base.

Appearances

 * Adventures
 * Dungeon #71: "Dreadful Vestiges" • Cormyr: The Tearing of the Weave
 * Video games
 * Eye of the Beholder II: The Legend of Darkmoon
 * Novels
 * The Paladins