#092-094 Gastly, Haunter, and Gengar
Not much is known about the enigma of ghost Pokémon. It is unknown whether they were once humanoids, or even once-living creatures at all, or if they exist without mortal precedent. Some theories suggest that they are the ghosts of deceased Pokémon, regardless of original species, while another supposes that ghost Pokémon appear when the essence of the Ethereal Plane congeals into a sentient, concentrated mass. The mystery surrounding ghost Pokémon only makes them more dangerous, so beware of Gastly, Haunter, and Gengar—you may not know what they’re capable of until it’s too late!
Gaseous Ghosts. Gastly earns its name from its completely gaseous form. While most observed ghosts have a chilling but harmless phantasmal form, Gastly and its evolved forms Haunter and Gengar are comprised of noxious gases. They disguise themselves within the fog of dreary landscapes or the haze of abandoned lairs. Adventurers may not even know that a ghost Pokémon is in their presence until they find themselves getting gradually sicker at too subtle a rate to have noticed right away. The fumes make them queasy and weak until they can barely stay awake, and it’s only through half-open eyes that the victim sees the Pokémon approach them. Psychic assaults on Gastly, Haunter, or Gengar are particularly effective at disrupting their ability to hold their gaseous form together.
Eerie Power. Lacking tangible fists or bodies, ghost Pokémon rely on poison gas and a limited array of magic to inflict harm and cause illusions, but when a Gengar is exorcised or destroyed by ghost hunters, it will reveal a most terrifying and desperate power: with its last reserve of sorcery, it can force its essence to penetrate its attacker’s soul in an attempt to destroy it along with itself. Even those that survive this harrowing attack may age several years of have their hair scared white, and survivors can suffer from night terrors for years after. Only divine light can sear a Gengar in such a way that it cannot make this effort, which is why only a fool would seek one out without an acolyte or cleric.
Prankster or Predator? Not all ghost Pokémon are as malicious as most reports would suggest. There are numerous cases of Gastly, Haunter, and Gengar haunting an establishment not for the sake of horror, but hilarity. The Pokémon wield their ghostly powers to prank, trick, and scare intruders for nothing but their own amusement. These jolly outliers can be reasoned with and even befriended should a brave soul have their own sense of humor, but this friendly veneer may be a deception by genuinely malevolent spirits trying to let down a victim’s guard. Few people trust ghost Pokémon, so the ones that are good deep down are frequently lonely. They usually find the companionship they crave working for performers or charlatans, or as the “imaginary friends” of small children.
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