Barghest

Barghest

Biographical Information
Name	Barghest, Barguest, Burh-Ghest or “Town Ghost”
Counties Present	Durham, Northumberland, North Yorkshire
Active Hours	Midnight to Blue Hour
Haunts	Cemeteries, hamlets, moors, the Snickelways, villages, and wastelands. Sometimes seen at accident sites or the homes of the elderly.
Omens	Glowing scythe marks on surfaces; the sound of chains rattling
AWOL Class	Watcher (Type A)
Disposition	Neutral
Resolve	High
Strengths	Hypnosis of common animals, invisibility, scythe-like forearms, turns into fog
Weaknesses	Cannot cross running water; dependent on scythes to deliver attacks
Alternate Forms	Cat, hare, headless man, horse

“Now, you see, sir, I war passing down t' Mill loine, and I heerd summat come past me - brush, brush, brush, wi' chains rattlin' a' the while, but I seed nothing; and I thought to myself, now this is a most mortal queer thing.”
- William Hone, Hone’s Every-Day Book and Table Book (1827)

The Barghest is one of the most recognisable black dogs, claiming wayward souls with the cool stillness of a reaper. Its scythe claws pulse with its catches, only dispersed with the creature’s exorcism. Should it rake one of the living with a claw, it leaves a scar that is doomed to never heal.

Appearance

A typical Barghest resembles an afghan hound draped in a billowing sheet of white matter. Its face and body are skeletal, with scythelike claws that pulse with the screams of its captured souls. Its radiation is a greenish blue, depending on the Barghest.

Anomalies include Barghests with multi-pronged scythes, scythes in places besides the forearms and completely “robeless” specimens.

Relations with other Ethereals

Barghest
Individual tempers vary, but two wandering Barghests will regard each other quietly and respectfully before departing. They bond well in packs and rarely engage in pecking orders.

Black Shuck
The two will behave as rivals unless carefully introduced. The Barghest finds territorial affairs frivolous and will tread where it pleases, much to the Shuck’s fury.

Church Grim
Barghests can unsettle Grims on first encounters, but their mild temperaments usually prevail.

Gytrash
A Barghest is apathetic unless the Gytrash attacks it or fulfills a favor for it. In packs, Barghests rarely show loyalty to Gytrash, regarding them as a liability of sorts.

Will O' the Wisp
Barghests behave politely to Wisps, which they recognise as weaker spirits. Some barghests gather large groups of wisps, which they use to scout surrounding areas for potential threats.

Notable Individuals

(None currently documented.)