Bapele, Whose Belly is Empty

In the haunted jungles west of the Yellow City live many ghosts. Some, like Yapefulu the Skinner, have lived there since time began. Others are of a more recent lineage, being the souls of travellers lost in the forest.

One of these latter types is Bapele, Whose Belly is Empty. Bapele was an explorer who left the Yellow City in search of a lake in the forest that was said to be carpeted with emeralds. He never found it, and starved to death alone in the dark of the jungle, abandoned by his sherpas and comrades. Now his spirit wanders the forest, forever in search of more food, though his appetite is never satisfied. The pain of his insatiable hunger drives him ever onwards.

Bepele appears as a small man in rags with a distended belly and wizened arms and legs. If he manages to catch a living thing he will try to eat it, whatever its size. His mouth opens wide like a python, growing bigger and bigger and bigger, as he forces his prey down his engorged throat. Yet his body never seems to grow in size, no matter what he swallows. His victims simply disappear deep within him and are never seen again.

Bapele, Whose Belly is Empty

Armour Class: 2
Hit Dice: 7**
Move: 120' (40')
Attacks: 2 fists
Damage: 1d8/1d8
No. Appearing: 1
Save As: F7
Morale: 18
Treasure Type: Nil
Intelligence: 10
Alignment: Chaotic
XP: 1250

Special Abilities: Bapele is a ghost, and immune to normal weapons; they simply pass through his body as if it were not there. If both of his fist attacks are successful he will overpower his target and begin the process of swallowing him/her; this takes 3 turns (2 for a halfling). Once swallowed, the victim is lost forever and cannot be resurrected, even by a wish spell.