Will-o-Wisp

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A Will-o-Wisp (known by many, many variations of that name, such as Will o' the Wisp) is a strange monster that takes the form of a glowing orb of light that tends to appear in dark forests or near swampy regions. Whilst sometimes portrayed as merely mischievous, more often the will-o-wisp is a malign trickster who uses curiosity (and perhaps a dab of mind-control magic) to lure victims into following it, invariably delivering them to danger in the form of a natural hazard or a monster.

Depending on the setting, will-o-wisps may be portrayed as a kind of ghost, an elemental, a fairy, or some sort of aberration.

Fun fact: There really is a Real World phenomena that inspired the common folkloric "Will-o-wisp"; known as "ignis fatuus" (translation: "Fool's Fire" and not in fact a faux-latin insult for an obese pyromanic). The modern scientific explanation is that certain kinds of swamps bubble up various flammable gasses that ignite upon coming into contact with the air.

AD&D 2e's third Ravenloft Monstrous Compendium introduced 4 different Will-o-Wisp variants: Will-o-Dawn, which helps those who are lost or in pain; Will-o-Deep, which only appears underground and causes people to become lost and in pain; Will-o-Mist, which only appears on the misty borders of the Demiplane of Dread; and Will-o-Sea, the obligatory aquatic subspecies.

Gallery

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  1e
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  AD&D Monster Card
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  2e
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  3e
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  4e
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  5e
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  Pathfinder's Will-o-Wisps have skulls.
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  PF 2e

Tired of little glowing orbs yet?