A spectral cloud frequently appears as a swirling mass of brilliant white vapors, like a regular cloud lit by the sun. When preparing for combat, it takes the form of a gaseous, 24’ tall humanoid, revealing its origins as an undead cloud giant. In humanoid form, its gleaming eyes light up its face; in cloud form, those eyes can be seen in the exact center of the swirling mass. Spectral clouds are capable of flight when in cloud form. The speed given above is how fast they can fly under their own power; when a strong wind blows in the direction they want to go, they can achieve even greater speeds.

Combat: In physical combat, spectral clouds attack with a single blow of their gaseous, chilling hands, inflicting 2d8 hp damage. In addition, unless the victim makes his saving throw vs. death magic, he loses one life level to an energy-draining attack, affecting skills, spells known, etc. Living creatures who are slain by spectral clouds become small spectral clouds—only real giants killed by energy-draining attacks can actually become true spectral clouds. Spectral clouds formed in this manner can assume either the gaseous humanoid or cloudlike form of their creator, but they lack the telekinetic ability given below. These imitations are under the control of their slayer as half-strength spectral clouds, inflicting 1-8 hp damage per attack. If their slayer and master is destroyed, they become free-willed undead monsters in their own right.

Spectral clouds have a limited telekinetic attack that enables them to levitate boulders and hurl them at an enemy up to 300 yards away, causing 3d10 hp damage. This power, however, cannot be used to catch or deflect large missiles.

Spectral clouds are immune to mind-affecting spells, hold, sleep, poison, paralyzation, death, and cold-based attacks. In addition, normal and relatively weak magical weapons simply pass through their gaseous bodies; weapons of +3 enchantment or better are needed to harm their airy forms. Holy water inflicts 2-8 hp damage per vial, and a raise dead spell slays it outright. A spectral cloud's ancestry, however, makes it immune to sunlight, making it one of the comparatively few undead who roam about in broad daylight as well as at night. It often soars among the clouds at high speed, just one cloud among many; characters who own a carpet of flying or similar item should take heed of this phenomenon.

Habitat/Society: Spectral clouds have no true society, being as solitary as other undead. They like to haunt or destroy their old clans, doing so out of sheer envy of their kin who revel in the pleasures of life.

Ecology: Spectral clouds have no true function in the environment, other than to diminish it by slaying everything that crosses their paths. Animals sense their presence and avoid them, but few adventurers notice this phenomenon, as spectral clouds make their lairs at the very tops of mountain peaks, where little life is to be found, anyway. They do not eat, though they enjoy draining the life from their victims. Spectral cloud essence is said to be useful in making a potion of gaseous form, while some mages are trying to find a way to entrap these intelligent (if gaseous) undead in bottles, as an interesting substitute for the efreeti bottle.