Spectral rails materialize in swirling mist beneath iron wheels grinding ethereal sparks, while ghostly lanterns flicker with soulfire, venting wails and acrid smoke that chills your bones.
The Ghostlight Locomotive is the engine of a phantom train that travels unseen between the realms of life and death, ferrying souls of the dead to their afterlife. During its normal operation, the locomotive burns doomed spirits for fuel and races along spectral, misty rails that appear as it travels, and it has little awareness beyond its crucial task.
Only a drastic event, such as the corruption of its soul-made fuel source, can turn the Ghostlight Locomotive from its endless duty, whereupon it stokes a consciousness of the innumerable souls it has burned and vents the fury of the damned upon any obstacles in its path. When pressed, the residue of wicked souls left from the burning of its corrupted fuel overwhelms the engine’s amoral nature, driving it to malevolent and hateful destruction.
The Ghostlight Locomotive's lair is a 1-mile-radius Emanation of shrouding mist originating from the locomotive. This mist doesn't extend within the cars of the Ghostight Express that the locomotive pulls.
The region containing the Ghostlight Locomotive's lair is changed by its presence, creating the following effects:
When a creature that isn't Undead finishes a Short or Long Rest within 1 mile of the locomotive, the creature must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or any time it regains Hit Points, it only regains half the amount. This effect ends when the creature next finishes a Long Rest or receives a Lesser Restoration spell or similar magic.
Within 1 mile of the locomotive, Hostile Shrouded* and
Specters are abundant and drawn to any creature that attacks the Ghostlight Locomotive or that tries to keep pace with, climb, or enter the Ghostlight Express.
If the Ghostlight Locomotive dies, these effects end immediately.