Will-o'-wisp

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

"Flicking orbs of ghostly light - they exist solely to lure travelers to their doom. They feed upon the fear and agony of the dying, and can be found deep within these woods..."

- A ghostly apparition in the Fell Wood.

Description
The will-o'-wisp appeared to be nothing more than a hazy ball of light, colored white, blue, violet, green, or yellow, glowing as brightly as a flaming torch. As such, it was easy to mistake one for a lantern, torch, or dancing lights. Especially within the foggy marshes they tended to inhabit. They tended to take on a blue, violet, or pale green hue whenever they were engaged in combat.

In fact, their faintly glowing bodies were just transparent balls of spongy matter, measuring wide and weighing around. Although they had no vocal organs, will-o'-wisps could vibrate to emit a ghostly sound, with which they could speak.

There existed two stronger varieties of will-o'-wisps: witch lights and death's candle. These creatures could trap should of the creatures they killed and reanimate their bodies as restless dead. Witch lights and death's candle were known to inhabit the Fell Wood in the Spine of the World.

Boggarts were believed to be immature forms of will-o'-wisps. Unlike their mature counterparts, boggarts could take on a shape of small humanoids and lure their prey and a shape of a smaller but brighter wisp. Another major thing that differentiated will-o'-wisps and boggarts was that the immature forms needed to devour flesh and the life force of their prey.

Abilities
These creatures could alter the brightness or dimness of their bodies' glow. This ability was used to confuse their prey. A will-o'-wisp could even extinguish its glow, becoming for all intents and purposes invisible to all except creatures who see invisible objects. They typically did the latter whenever they were surprised or frightened.

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

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

Personality
These creatures displayed exceptional levels of intelligence. They reveled in luring travelers away from safe paths, bewildering them.

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

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

Diet
These creatures subsisted upon the powerful emotions that are associated with fear, panic, and death. They would often seek to lure creatures away from safe paths, into perilous situations so they could feast upon their desperate emotions.

Homelands
Will-o'-wisps were typically found in deserted, dangerous places where ones movement could get inhibited. Such as bogs, fens, swamps, as well as swampy dungeons and dungeons full of quicksand or pit-traps.

On Toril they were known to be inhabit the Vast Swamp, where they were often sighted from the Way of the Manticore. As well as its counterpart in the Plane of Shadow, the Shadow Swamp.

They also harassed travelers in the Glaun Bog of Tasseldale.

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

Notable Will-o'-Wisps
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.

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.

Appearances

 * Adventures:
 * Curse of the Azure Bonds • Dungeon #71: "Dreadful Vestiges" • Pool of Radiance: Attack on Myth Drannor • Cormyr: The Tearing of the Weave • Dungeons & Dragons Essentials Kit
 * Novels:
 * The Paladins
 * Video Games:
 * Eye of the Beholder II: The Legend of Darkmoon • Neverwinter Nights series (Neverwinter Nights 2: Storm of Zehir • Neverwinter Nights: Tyrants of the Moonsea)
 * Organized Play & Licensed Adventures
 * The Lady in Flames
 * Card Games