Ghosts

 

I: Regular Forms

Regular ghost are those haunting visions that exist on another plane while using their essence to appear to you as a fiery or transparent obstacle. They can suddenly appear for a surprise attack or they can flicker in and out of visibility to mask their presence.

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Basic Ghosts and Spirits
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These are just your classic apparitions. Ghosts watch you from their unearthly plane and suddenly cross over, becoming enflamed, to endlessly chase you down. This stalking pattern of attack is one that most of the below will also employ.

 Alternate Names/Forms: Pirate Skeleton, Ectoplasm, Specter, Spirit & Rune Spirit

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Azaghal
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As masters of the sword, these executioners from Hell hover about while treading between the plane of invisibility. Using their size, they'll crowd vampire killers with the girth of their huge steel swords, the bases of which are their only weak points. As a drawback to their power, despite their size, they can only cause damage through sword contact.

 Alternate Names/Forms: Specter, Alastor, Phantom Sword & Spectral Sword

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Bitterfly
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The bitterflies are a slow-moving, stalking lot. Flashing between visibility and invisibility, groups of them can sneak up on you without warning. Contact with them almost always results in being poisoned.

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Candle Essences
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These clever ghosts disguise themselves as normal-looking candelabras. When their candle form is struck, they'll reveal their true form and lunge to the ground quickly. If not destroyed before they hit the ground, they'll immediately dissipate. From left to right, they are Mimic Candle, Trick Candle and Scary Candle--each tougher and more damaging than the last.

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Dead Fencer
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The dead fencers are monsters endowed with the souls of nobles. They move with cunning grace and swiftly close upon foes with dashing sword-thrusts. There are two advanced forms of dead fencer: First you have the dead barons, which are revived corpses of master fencer barons; they employ a unique surprise-teleport attack. And then there are the duke mirages, which are the ghostly reincarnations of dead dukes; these elite fencers retain their nobility (as well as their chic hats) while dancing about and executing that very same surprise-teleport.

 Alternate Names/Forms: Dead Baron & Duke Mirage

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Ectoplasm
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This physical manifestation of collected tortured souls levitates around in unpredictable patterns, forever trying to escape its eternal damnation. They don't take too kindly to the living, unfortunately, and the sight of a hero will cause them to give chase; the stronger versions have the power to poison that which they touch.

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Ghostly Eyeball
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Ripped out eyeballs have two ways of annoying the living: Like typical ghosts (and most flying enemies from Simon's Quest, for that matter), they home in on their prey, endlessly stalking the hero. Or they'll hover overhead, high above, and drip down poisonous tears from their tear ducts.

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Ghost Soldiers
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These are the ghosts of soldiers who died in vain. These noncorporeal-yet-somehow-armored soldiers hover about and slice away with their swords. There are two advanced forms of ghost soldier: The ghost knights, who died while still holding onto grudges, and ghost warriors, who were killed in sneak attacks; each group is progressively stronger and tougher than the last, though its members operate in the same fashion.

 Alternate Names/Forms: Ghost Knight & Ghost Warrior

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Hunting Girl
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These can be best described as less advanced versions of Azaghal. These nearly invisible, lance-wielding spirit hunters aim their weapon forward and proceed to dash quickly through the air. Striking the handles of their lances is the only way to harm them.

Alternate Names/Forms: Nemesis

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Saint Elmo
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Saint Elmo was a sailor (the patron saint of which) who like countless others was killed over a little matter of religion. Perhaps due to the nature of his death--horrifying torture over a matter of years--this now-evil spirit seeks revenge by haunting the seas where it uses its power to cause shipwrecks. Appearing in legion, Saint Elmo targets ocean-dwellers and darts quickly in his or her direction, stretching itself to ridiculous lengths if necessary.

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Sniper of Goth
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These angel archers, who slew Amalaric of the Goths, teleport in to your location via light-arrow form and take their rightful shape; they'll then proceed to hunt you down with their bow. Their aim is limited to 45-degree angles, but they make up for this deficiency with their persistence, as they'll constantly chase you down by transporting about in that arrow form.

 Alternate Names/Forms: Amalaric Sniper

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Specter
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Described as a "haunting vision," these apparitions are in the same vein as classic ghosts. This form of ghost stalks the heroes in a never-ending quest to consume their light; if not destroyed by them, attacks will only repel specters momentarily. Other types of specters, as you'll find, are in their methods no different than the aforementioned ghosts or spirits--they'll appear from out of sight, sometimes in large groups, and endlessly stalk their tormentors.

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Stain-Glass Ghost
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These are ghosts that inhabit the refracting light through stain glass windows. As you'd expect, they show up in places of holy worship. Because of their shape, they're as sharp to touch as the glass from which they were formed. Their essence allows them to shapeshift and use smaller shards as destructive projectiles, which they can command to endlessly stalk you.

 Alternate Names/Forms: Stain-Glass Knight

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Sword Master
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Sword Masters are the spirits of fallen brave warriors. They remain trapped within the material plane, their sole mission to torment living beings. Appearing as apparitions decked in tattered garb, Sword Masters use their weapon to execute mad swipes and deadly combo-attacks; when they parry at a distance, they'll sometimes fire enflamed projectiles.

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Vassago
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Vassagos are evil spirits that are said to be summoned by those who seek knowledge. Observably, they're cloaked specters who carry two axes. They attack by swinging both axes in succession or by spinning around like a top, their arms outstretched. The advanced wights are perversions of vassagos; they execute the same two attacks though instead with the spiked maces that hang down from their hands.

 Alternate Names/Forms: Wight

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Will-o'-Wisp
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These floating eyes (which Dracula seems to love) are spawned by and engulfed in flames. Most comparable to typical ghosts, they will hover around in large groups to stop your progress via the air. While they have no other special powers, they complement ground-based lesser enemies rather well. Other versions instead blast in your direction and explode on contact.

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Wraith
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A wraith, another in the line of haunting visions, will suddenly make its presence known by appearing out of the darkness. This unusually-limbed foe will then give chase using repeated quick dives through the air with its large hands outstretched. If it grabs onto the hero, it'll begin squeezing the life out of him or her until they can shake free. Still, the chase won't end there until the wraith is destroyed.

 

II: Poltergeists

Poltergeists are a phenomena where trapped spirit essences can instead cause objects to move around and attack simply by will. If you see an otherwise inanimate object come to life and begin stalking you, you can be sure that a poltergeist is causing it.

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Bloody Sword
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As poltergeist phenomenon, these swords are as abrasive as they are sharp. Bloody Swords remain somewhat stationary in the air until a target comes within range. At that point, they'll spin, slashingly, and dart toward the target; they repeat this process forever. Groups of these can crowd you into submission.

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Crystal Shard
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Many of these crystals can be found in the castle's sorcery tower. As seemingly just minor distractions to your lock-on feature, they'll come to life suddenly by channeling sonic energy that refracts through the crystal and blasts the hero with a beam; this attack is effective in that the tower's platforms are slippery and narrow. Often times, they're placed out of a weapon's range so that they can make life hell from a distance.

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Evil Force
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The terrifying-looking Evil Force, as aptly named, is an evil will given embodiment through dark karmic forces. The Evil Force, taking the shape of a large skinned and horned human head (which somewhat resembles Freddy Kruger), will suddenly manifest and seek out an opposing force. For goodhearted heroes, this can only mean that the Evil Force wishes to take a bite out of them or drench them in deadly vomit.

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Fireworm
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This brainless flaming entity spends its life-cycle circling through the air in unpredictable motions. You'll find that it's invincible, so you'll have to employ a simple strategy: Stay out of its way. If provoked, it'll become a multiple-hit threat; leave it alone and it'll disappear on its own after a short period. Another form, known as "Larva," is more persistent in its wickedness and continues to hover erratically until you deal with its threat.

 Alternate Names/Forms: Larva

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Marionette
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These innocent-looking puppets, giggling to support that perception, suddenly spring to life and use their lanky figures to float through the air and flail away with their wooden limbs. Some of them have the propensity to inflict upon its victim a curse through direct contact. You can always expect marionettes to show up in groups.

Alternate Names/Forms: Killer Doll

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Ouija Table
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This table and its surrounding components will surprise you by coming alive when you get close enough. Each piece of furniture will extend outward to reach you no matter the distance, and each piece must be eliminated in order to end this presence's threat.

 Alternate Names/Forms: Poltergeist

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Spectral Sword
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Described as a "poltergeist phenomenon," this possessed sword darts around erratically for its own survival. Its protection comes in the form of many other psychically-controlled weapons (axes, shields, spears, clubs, etc.) that effectively protect it in two instances: By remaining relative, twisting and turning about, or by flying erratically, cluttering up the area and decoying heroes who have more to consider than the sword itself.

 Alternate Names/Forms: Ruler Sword Lv1, 2 and 3; Ruler's Sword; Puppet Sword; Ruler Sword; & Black Sword

 

III: Possessed Things

Instead of appearing to you in some hideous form or controlling objects from another plane of existence, some ghost essences can actually consume a living force and become of it. It can then use its new form as means for an attack.

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Bloodborn
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These blood-spawned creatures take a jelly formation, and they can liquefy quickly and expand back to form. When an enemy enters its target range, it'll spit a three-directional poisonous sludge their way. If the enemy gets too close, it'll liquefy to avoid taking damage before popping up again.

 Alternate Names/Forms: Ice Monster

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Creeping Coffin
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The creeping coffins are any of those tombs whose innards have been breached by creeping corpses. The corpses use the coffin as armor, their multiple branches breaking through its frame to create a four-legged monstrosity. The creeping coffin will flail its limbs and attempt to ram the prone hero with its front end.

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Deadly Toys
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Deadly toys were brought into existence by a dark spell of Laura's making, controlled by her very whim. Their spirits must be defeated in order to properly vanquish them. The deadly toys flail their hooked arms, knocking back accosting heroes. They can execute short hops, the impact of which causes shockwaves to ripple in all directions. Too, they can poke at heroes with the needles that adorn their strings.

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Elgiza
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Elgiza is a giant guardian of treasure, found, as you can deduce from its Egyptian-themed look, in desert-type areas. Elgiza, made completely out of sand, will form suddenly and begin slamming its hands into the bed from which it was created, causing sand to spill over. While its head is its weak point, its hands can be destroyed, eliminating the threat of sand-spill. At any time, it can reduce itself back into a pile of sand before reforming elsewhere.

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Grabbing Portrait
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Even Dracula's Whistler's Mother-like mom gets in on the act. Well, her picture does, anyway. The picture has a noticeably extended arm beyond its frame; if you get too close, the arm will grab onto you and hold you in place--this allows the other foes, mainly bats, to take advantage of your immobilization.
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Killer Mantle
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A harmless-looking cloak will battle wind resistance as it floats to the ground and seemingly in your direction. This will prove itself to be true when a knife-carrying arm will pop out from the evil cloak and lunge toward you for an assault--this again and again until destroyed.
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Lightning Doll
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These harmless-looking marionettes are possessed by the souls of prisoners who met their end via the electric chair. They suddenly spring to life and hover through the air; at any time, they can stop to generate and emit electricity directly around their own frame.

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Macabre Puppet
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Those unfortunate souls who failed in their quest to slay the Dark Lord sometimes suffer a fate worse than death: Their souls are forcefully removed and confined to macabre wooden puppets. Their controller, the Toy Maker, forces them to perform deadly maneuvers, like swiping their daggers and crashing down onto heroes who trek below them. Those that have escaped from any control, now unleashed, attack with abandon and specifically a deadly charging somersault.

 Alternate Names/Forms: Macabre Puppet Unleashed

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Machine Gun Guard
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These stationary deathtraps (turrets) rotate around, patrolling whole areas. If they sense something nearby, they'll quickly spin in that direction and fire away with a barrage of bullets, lasers, pellets, etc. After a while, if they miss or lose sight of you, they'll defer back to their usual pattern of rotating slowly. Speed and patience are needed to destroy these.

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Magic Books
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Magic books aren't always dependent on the wizards and magic-users that have confided their knowledge within; enchanted as such, they can act on their own, often floating through the air and darting toward trespassers. Some spell books will endlessly stalk the target, drawing near the victim before opening themselves to reveal cursed skull heads or a slew of stabbing weapons. Those possessed by the souls of wizards can summon and take control of other minor foes (like werewolves and macabre puppets), continuing such conduct until shredded.

 Alternate Names/Forms: Spell Book

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Mist
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These evil beings are formed completely of mist. It's been said that they exist to swallow up the living. In practicality, these near-transparent mist formations breath poison-inducing acid clouds that continue to inflict damage on foes as long as they remain within the cloud's vicinity.

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Mud Man
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Some ghost forms can inhabit mud's very essence--their infectious spirits can use the mud to take a human-like form as a coating to convey their actions, which usually involves popping up and stalking you. The more advanced mud men prefer to stay in place and spit fireballs.

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Plant Man
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Instead of mud or water, most free-roaming spirits inhabit the essence of the surrounding woodland--mainly moss. As masters of camouflage, they'll camp out in the treetops and pop out unexpectedly; since they're difficult to see, you may not even notice that one has appeared

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Snapper Casket
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Even though they're usually relegated to housing the dead, these caskets, themselves, are quite alive. They'll rattle back and forth, generally looking like harmless background decor, but when you pass a casket, it'll spring to life and give chase by sliding along the ground and slamming its lid onto you.

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Soulless
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Soullesses are largely-formless creatures brought into being by the Undead Parasite boss. They creep along the ground in a gel form then suddenly pop up in bipedal form to attack their boss' opponent with a surprise flailing dive. When the Undead Parasite dies, so too do they.

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Spin Devil
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This is an evil blade possessed by a demented demon. More cosmetically, it's a spirit hovering above a tornado-encompassed sword. The blade remains at rest, its dreaded wind howls the only phsycical cue; when a hero comes within range, it will begin to frantically whip itself through the air, remaining mostly overhead to protect the spirit.

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Spinning Picture
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This one-time enemy--a picture of Vlad Tepes--is extremely dangerous, since contact with it is a one-shot kill. It spins around while floating through the air, from one side of the room to the other--this while the man in the picture tries to grab you and pull you into the frame. If it catches you, you'll merge with the picture, wherein you'll be broken into a thousand pieces by Vlad's likeness.

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Surface Dwellers
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These are possessed surface elements that attack in similar ways: The first, Procel, is a liquid demon that appears on the surface of water; it will form from out of the mist, on the liquid's surface, and then dart along quickly using only its size as a weapon. The second, the Mud Demon, is a good-looking demon formed from dirt, and it slides along the ground in much the same fashion.

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Tin Man
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These mechanical nightmares are forever entrenched on a search-and-destroy mission. When you enter into a Tin Man's vicinity, it'll quickly wheel itself to your location with its axed arms swinging around and around. When they're damaged enough, they'll open their lid and deploy an in-close attack of emitting deadly steam.

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Tombstone
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Some tombstones are possessed by the souls of deceased that they house. They'll lie in place among other similar-looking tombstones within the graveyard--they'll begin rattling upon your proximity, and they'll lunge toward you in a crushing dive, over and over. Advanced tombstones, which protect the Cloaked Warlock, can hover in the air.

 Alternate Names/Forms: Demon Tombstone

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Wall Widow
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Some spirits can inhabit certain structures in and around the castle. As such, they can project themselves outward in the essence of said structures, be it your ordinary wall or tree bark (who in such instances are more from the Dryad family); mainly, they'll branch out at the most unexpected of times and grab at you.

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Water Skull
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Possessing spirits can even inhabit large pools of water--they'll use the water's essence to take the form of skull heads. An endless array of these water skulls will endlessly stalk the hero. Their strategy appears to be flying in at difficult angles, mainly from below, where your whip can't stretch.

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