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Wight

Wight · The Barrow Dead — A Cursed Corpse Guarding the Tomb's Treasure

An undead — a corpse buried in a barrow or mound, revived by obsession with treasure and a curse. With coldly glowing eyes, ice-cold hands, and a desiccated corpse-form, it guards the grave goods of the tomb. It curses intruders or drains the life of the living to make them its kind. Unlike the formless wraith, the signature graveyard undead that keeps a corpse's form.

Origin

Named from the Old English 'wiht' (creature, being). Through the barrow-dead 'draugr' of Norse saga and Tolkien's 'Barrow-wight,' it was established as a graveyard undead guarding treasure.

Features

Desiccated corpse, coldly glowing eyes
Ice-cold hands and a cursing touch
Guards the grave goods of a barrow or mound
Drains the life of the living to make its kind

Stories

Appears as the terror of barrow-delving and a cursed gatekeeper guarding treasure. A staple of narratives dealing with the retribution of greed and tomb-robbing, and the sanctity and violation of the grave.

Weakness

Weak to light, fire, and purified or consecrated weapons. It rests when the treasure it guarded is returned to its rightful owner or the tomb is duly given requiem.