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There are as many monstrous creatures as there are fantasy worlds. Nearly all of them serve the dark side in some capacity, whether if they’re part of their organization or they’re self-employed. However, there is one that is generally considered a servant, one who has sold his soul to become an agent of evil and that would be the fantasy wraith.
Whenever you think of wraiths, the Ringwraiths from The Lord of the Rings come to mind though there are numerous others across the genre. The reason why they’re so terrifying is that many of them do not have a physical body, one that you can readily see. This is because their true forms lie in the Netherworld or a realm that mortals cannot see.
The fantasy wraith has several gruesome powers at its disposal that it doesn’t hesitate to use when the opportunity arises. One popular one is the aura it emits. All nearby beings can sense the presence of a great evil lurking around, though they don’t necessarily know where it is. This banshee makes great use of its invisible body to strike its foes.
The dark powers relies on the wraith in several ways, all of which come in use through their campaigns to dominate the world. It is an agent of chaos, using its non-corporeal appearance to sow fear and confusion among the good guys. Many people quail at the prospect of seeing one, especially when it emits a bloodcurdling scream that sends chills down their spine.
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Whether it appears in the ancient era of a fictional world or a futuristic one, the wraith typically has the same appearance though it slightly varies from world to world. One characteristic it has in common regardless of the world it shows up in is that it is a malevolent spirit roaming the ground or floating in the air.
Strictly speaking, the fantasy wraith is considered to be a spirit of the undead though it can be slain, provided one possesses the right weapon to do so. As such, it is invisible to the naked eye though in some cases, it can manifest itself, essentially becoming a visible ghost or phantom. It only does this sparingly since it prefers to remain in the realm where mortal eyes cannot see it.
The reason why it is a phantom is because it is tied to the Netherworld, a world where no mortal can walk. A world teeming of spirits, ghouls, and other apparitions that for various reasons have deigned not to move onto the afterlife. Many of them stubbornly cling to living in this world where thousands of years is nothing to them.
While the average fantasy wraith is unencumbered, meaning it doesn’t wear any clothes since it is a spirit, after all, some do indeed don on some attire. The Ringwraiths from LOTR is the perfect example of this. Their master Sauron gave them clothes so that they could at least look like people though you couldn’t see their faces. This was by design, they were his emissaries and they carried out his orders, whether by issuing orders to orcs or meeting with other beings like Saruman the White.
Since it is a non-corporeal entity, the wraith has access to powers that only a few mortals would dare attempt to learn. These powers make it one of the deadliest creatures the protagonist faces throughout his journey. As such, it has no qualms about using it for sinister purposes as it spreads chaos throughout the world.
The first power the fantasy wraith relies on is its lack of physical appearance. As a phantom, it can float through the air without being seen — unless it chooses to manifest itself — making it perfect to launch an attack on an unsuspecting foe. His opponent never sees it coming until it is too late.
Its bloodcurdling scream is the second power the wraith makes extensive use of. It only does it when it faces peril, like defeat at the hands of a mortal foe, with the intention of rendering him immobile to move. This gives the apparition the perfect chance to regain the initiative and snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
The typical fantasy wraith dabbles in black magic and sorcery. As a servant of the darkness that lurks in the Netherworld, he knows witchcraft and uses it to lay siege to its adversaries. In rare cases, he has mastered the art of necromancy and resurrects undead minions that he throws against his enemies.
While the wraith is known for solely using its ghostly powers, it can also use weapons that were forged by mortals. One weapon it is especially fond of using is the sword and it can convert it into one based on magic. The sword enables it to wage battle with mortal enemies and it can turn its invisibility on and off throughout the fight to confound them before striking the lethal blow.
Many of the great villains of the genre employ wraiths. While the vast majority are following them willingly out of their common affinity with darkness, a small minority are being forced against their will to do their master’s sinister bidding. Regardless of if they are a willing participant or not, they are considered one of the most dangerous agents of evil.
One way the fantasy wraith serves its master is as an reconnaissance agent. Its non-corporeal body enables it to move through areas without ever being detected, perfect for spying on enemy armies and/or monitoring their movements. It is able to report to its master on where they are stationed, how many units there are, and so on. The master then formulates a strategy to destroy them.
Another way the wraith is put to use is to terrorize local communities with the goal of spreading fear and chaos. Many people don’t know how to deal with a phantom, especially one that can appear and vanish at will, and will flee. Word spreads like wildfire across other communities and before long, people begin to be afraid to leave their houses, lest they be attacked by an unseen apparition.
The third way the fantasy wraith works for the forces of evil is on the battlefield. Its mere presence sends chills down the heart of even the strongest man. This gives his malevolent cohorts time to strike and can mean the difference between victory and a shattering defeat. It can also use its powers to whittle down the enemy numbers or keep them in place so that its fellow servants can move in and deal with them.
The wraith is the perfect addition to an imaginary world and the story since it is a monster that is notoriously difficult to bring down. Should you bring it into your own, it gives you a great chance to use it as a challenge your protagonist must overcome in order to become the hero the world needs.
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