Hama

Hama were spirits of the deceased in Zakhara that took the form of spectral birds.

Description
A hama could manifest as any kind of bird, reflecting the personality and morality of the soul in life. This was often an eagle or an owl, but falcon, nightingale, parrot, peacock, sparrow, and vulture hama were known. However, the hama of wicked souls were always birds that struggled to fly: birds with clipped wings, poor fliers like roosters or parrots, and even flightless bird, such as an emu. During the day, they seemed to be typical examples of their species, but at night they were nearly always semi-transparent with a faint glow, and had fiery bright eyes.

Abilities
Like a ghost, the sight of a hama could unnerve and scare those weak of will, as with a fear spell.

Thrice a day, a hama could become incorporeal and pass through walls or other barriers. Hama could also fly. However, both acts required concentration, and any attack could disrupt this process.

Although they were like ghosts in some aspects, they were not undead (with no link to the Negative Material Plane) and couldn't be turned by clerics.

Although hama could understand any language and dialect, hama could not speak themselves, and only made the noises of birds. However, on occasion they were able to give clues via their songs and croaks. Hama could not be communicated with through a speak with animals spell but could with tongues.

Activities
A hama was created when the soul of someone who'd just died emerged from their body and took the form of a bird. Ordinarily, it then departed the Prime Material Plane and flew onto the afterlife. However, when they'd died violently or with an essential task to complete, the hama remained bound to the Prime Material Plane, with the aim to set things right first.

A hama was focused entirely on completing or performing whatever task tied them to the world. This could be as simple as getting revenge on their killers, as complex as the retrieval of a lost valuable or the correct disposition of an inheritance or estate, or as noble as waiting for a loved one to return or watching over and guardian one's children. The possibilities were many, yet usually tied to a certain place or person. Hama were solitary creatures and seldom moved out of the area they'd first appeared in.

Hama only interacted with people and creatures directly related to their tasks, or those who could help them. In particular, priests such as mystics and hakimas immediately recognized a hama for what it was and could aid it with advice or spellcasting, and the hama could make its intentions plain to them. To someone who'd helped it complete its task, a good hama might give a gift or serve as a messenger, scout, or lookout, or do tricks to entertain an audience. Even after their task was complete, in some cases they lingered for several days to repay a debt or fulfil their own obligations, but no longer. Once its task was completed, a hama went on to other planes for its final reward.

Relations
Hama were the prey of ammuts, which devoured the souls of the wicked and damned. They could see the hama even on the Ethereal Plane.

Combat
Like birds, hama assaulted foes in a flurry of talons, beaks, and wings, yet these were too wispy to do much damage. However, by the same token, because of their ethereal nature, they were hard to hit from on the Prime Material Plane. A foe must attack from the Ethereal Plane to easily target them.

Appearances

 * Adventures
 * Dungeon #51, "The Last Oasis"