Ghostwalk is a book that introduced a campaign setting for the 3rd edition of the Dungeons & Dragons

Dungeons & Dragons

Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...

game, similar to Forgotten Realms

Forgotten Realms

The Forgotten Realms is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Commonly referred to by players and game designers alike as "The Realms", it was created by game designer Ed Greenwood around 1967 as a setting for his childhood stories...

 or Dragonlance

Dragonlance

Dragonlance is a shared universe created by Laura and Tracy Hickman, and expanded by Tracy Hickman and Margaret Weis under the direction of TSR, Inc. into a series of popular fantasy novels. The Hickmans conceived Dragonlance while driving in their car on the way to TSR for a job application...

. Unlike most other D&D settings, however, Ghostwalk was designed to be released as a single book which would contain all the material for the world.

Contents

The central locale for the Ghostwalk setting is a city called Manifest, a mausoleum city built atop a geological feature known as the Well of Souls which leads the spirits of the departed on to the True Afterlife. In the immediate surroundings of the city of Manifest, the ghosts of the dead may cross the barrier into the land of the living and interact with their loved ones as translucent beings forged of ectoplasm, their ghost bodies marked by whatever injuries killed them and often driven by some craving for some aspect of the living world, such as music or food. A manifested ghost may fairly easily be returned to his body by resurrection magic and so in the City of Manifest one may die a great many times and be returned to his body with no harmful side effects. The one danger in exploring the other side of death as a ghost is the Calling, an unshakable urge that overcomes ghosts at some point in their unlife that drives them to forsake the world and pass into the True Afterlife. Such a transition is permanent and marks the end of a character

While all sentient races have spirits, only the human and demihuman races (human

Human (Dungeons & Dragons)

Humans are a race available for player characters in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game. Although short-lived by comparison, humans are the most populous of all Dungeons & Dragons races. They are renowned for their diversity and ambition, and although they lack specializations like...

, half-elf

Half-elf (Dungeons & Dragons)

-Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 1st edition :The half-elf appeared as a player character race in the original Player's Handbook . The half-elf also appeared in the original Monster Manual...

, half-orc

Half-orc

The half-orc is a creature born to mixed orc and human parentage in the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game. The half-orc is a playable race for D&D player characters. Half-orcs are typically born in wild frontiers where human and orc tribes come into contact. Half-orcs are between six and seven...

, elf

Elf (Dungeons & Dragons)

In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, elves are a fictional humanoid race that is one of the primary races available for play as player characters. Elves are renowned for their grace and mastery of magic and weapons such as the sword and bow...

, gnome

Gnome (Dungeons & Dragons)

In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, gnomes are one of the core races available for play as player characters. Some speculate that they are closely related to dwarves; however, gnomes are more tolerant of other races and of magic, and are skilled with illusions...

, dwarf

Dwarf (Dungeons & Dragons)

In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game, dwarves are a humanoid race, one of the primary races available for play as player characters...

, and halfling

Halfling (Dungeons & Dragons)

The halfling is a fictional race found in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Halflings are similar to humans except about half the size...

) can travel to Manifest and live again as ghosts. A great many nonhuman races are jealous of this gift, and have sought to destroy Manifest throughout its history. Several times they have succeeded, razing the city to the ground, forcing it to be rebuilt atop its own ruins. This has resulted in an underworld of forgotten catacombs, all that is left of the many cities left behind. Below these are vast natural caverns and tunnels that increase in size and complexity surrounding the Well of Souls. All of these are filled with all manner of monsters and villains, but also treasures lost. Hence Manifest is home to adventurers as well as mourners and the dead

Of the enemies of the City of Manifest, perhaps the most persistent are the Yuan-ti

Yuan-ti

The yuan-ti are a fictional species of evil snakemen in the role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons. The species comprises a number of castes. In some campaign settings, the yuan-ti are descended from evil human cultists who mixed their bloodlines with those of serpents...

, snake people who long for power and immortality and thus hate everything the city stands for.

Chapter summary

Introduction: Includes information on the campaign options and the general concept of Ghostwalk and the city of Manifest itself.

1. All About Ghosts.: Contains information on the nature of Ghosts presented in the book as well as their characteristics and powers. The two ghost classes are introduced: The Eidolon and Eidoloncer as well as several prestige classes involving ghosts. New Skills and Feats are also introduced as well as new equipment, spells and magical items.
2. The City of Manifest Has information on the City itself as well as its history and new gods unique to the setting. Information on adventures and the city's lay out and workings is also provided.
3. The Ghostwalk Campaign: Provides information on how to run adventures in the setting as well as themes and enemies often encountered.
4. Countries: Documents countries that exist around the city of Manifest and their relationship to the city.
5. Monsters : Contains several new monsters for use in the campaign:
   • Artaaglith (Demon)
   • Bonesinger (Template)
   • Dread Ram
   • Ectoplasmic Vermin
   • Fire Spectre
   • Ghost (Template)
   • Ghosteater
   • Monstrous Vampire (Template)
   • Mumia (Template)
   • Necroplasm
   • Spectral Seed
   • Spirit Tree
   • Undead Martyr
   • Yuan-Ti (Template)
6. Adventures : Contains seven adventures to get started in the city of Manifest that range from level one to twelve.

Publication history

Ghostwalk was published in June 2003, and was written by Monte Cook

Monte Cook

Monte Cook is a professional table-top role-playing game designer and writer. He is married to Sue Weinlein Cook.-Roleplaying:Cook has been a professional game designer since 1988, working primarily on role-playing games. Much of his early work was for Iron Crown Enterprises as an editor and writer...

 and Sean K. Reynolds

Sean K. Reynolds

Sean K Reynolds is a professional game designer who has worked on and co-written a number of D&D supplements for Wizards of the Coast, as well as material for other companies. He does not put a period after his middle initial.-Background:...

.