A Swamp Stalker (SS) appears as a dark, robed and hooded wraith-like being with pale claw-like hands and glowing red eyes. The face is always in the shadow of the hood which lends to it its wraith resemblance. However, it is not undead and thus it cannot be turned.

Since so little is known about SS they are the object of many scholarly debates. Some have theorized that they are native to some other plane of existence: their strength draining ability and aversion to strong light sources seems to suggest ties to the Negative Material Plane. As to why SS appear on the Prime Material plane and kill 13 victims specifically, two theories predominate. Either this is a test of punishment a SS must fulfill and/or endure before it is permitted to return to its native plane or the 13 victims must be killed for the SS to reach a mature status among its kind. Since it grows in power, gaining one hit die for every victim it slays, the latter theory is supported by physical evidence and most of those who debate on this subject.

The icy touch of a SS causes the victim to loose points of strength (STR) by arthimetic progression. On the first touch one point from STR is lost; the second touch causes two points to be lost; the third, three points, etc., so after the third hit the victim has lost a total of six points of STR. When the victim's STR reaches or goes below zero, the victim dies. Note that the affected victim has bonuses for STR only equal to his current STR value after having been struck by a SS. Exceptional STR scores treat each percentage grouping (see 2nd ed. PHB chart on page 14) as one point of STR. Strength lost be the SS's touch is regained at the rate of one point per 4 hours of complete rest (no movement, e.g. bed rest) with normal nutritional intake, in a warm climate/ condition, and an environment conducive to rest.

A SS can only be hit with weapons that have a +1 or better magical enchantment; they are immune to all types, magical or mundane, of cold and gas. Any light brighter than torchlight causes them extreme pain and in such an environment (such as a light or continual light spell, or daylight) attack at a -4 penalty to their to hit dice for as long as they remain in the area of illumination. If its intended victim is too powerful or if it is confronted with more adversaries that it can deal with, the SS can wail, which causes all within hearing distance (100 feet) to flee in panic for a number of rounds equal to the SS's hit dice if the affected creature fails a save vs. spells.

If the SS is slain before it kills is thirteenth victim, the SS's body dissolves into a foul-smelling cloud of vapor with properties identical to a spell of stinking cloud, where the cloud lasts for a number of rounds equal to the SS's hit dice.

Since they (apparently) have no permanent lair and from reports do not appear to value money or precious metals, they have no listing for treasure. However, there will be the possibility for treasure among the remains of recent victims the SS is encountered near such, usually type J through N, for each deceased individual, and type Q, for the general area, will be found under such circumstances. There is a 1% chance for each hit die of the SS in question that treasure type B (magic only) may also be found among the remains of recent victims only if more than three victims lay there. O

CLIMATE/ TERRAIN: Swamp
FREQUENCY: Very Rare
ORGANIZATION: Solitary
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Nocturnal
DIET: Unknown
ALIGN: Chaotic evil
INT: Unknown
TREASURE: See text
No. APPEARING: 1
AC: 0 (4 in bright light)
MOVEMENT: 12"
HIT DICE: See text; minimum of 2
THAC0: Variable
ATTACKS: 1
DAM/ATTACK: Nil
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Strength drain
SPECIAL DEF.: Immune to cold, gas
MR: Standard
SIZE: M (5.5-7" tall)
MORALE: See text
XP VALUE: Base 300 + 150 per hit die over 2

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