FREQUENCY: Very rare (desolate countrysides, moors, etc.)
NO. APPEARING: 1
ARMOR CLASS: 0
MOVE: 15"
HIT DICE: 7
% IN LAIR: 10% (1 Groaning Spirit: swamp, TPL30:5th, REF3.61)
TREASURE TYPE: [D]
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1 ~ 13
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-8
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Death groan, fear
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Hit only by magic weapons, some spell immunity
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 50%
INTELLIGENCE: Exceptional
ALIGNMENT: Chaotic evil
SIZE: M
LEVEL/X.P.VALUE: VII | 2450 + 10

SAVES: 10.11.12.12.13

The groaning spirit, or banshee, is the {spirit} of an evil female elf -- a Very rare thing indeed.
The spirit returns to {harm} the living.
It is found only in desolate countrysides, moors, etc.

The groaning spirit can attack by its chilling touch, causing 1-8 HP of damage/attack when it strikes.

Exorcism kills them.

Death Groan: Its more fearsome mode of attack, however, is its wail, or keening, which will
cause the hearers within 3" to save vs. Magic or die on the spot. <why not a save vs. Death Magic?>
It can wail but once per day, and only during darkness.

Fear: The sight of a groaning spirit causes fear unless an appropriate save is made.

Spell Immunity: Groaning spirits cannot be affected by charm, sleep, or hold spells.
They are impervious to attack by cold || electricity.

ADQ: Can a groaning spirit be turned
by clerics?
ADA: No. Although it is stated to be a
type of undead, it is not subject to
clerical turning.
(Polyhedron #17)

FREQUENCY: Very rare (desolate countrysides, moors, etc.)

FREQUENCY: Very rare ([Dungeon Level VII])
 

FREQUENCY: Very rare ([Cold Civilized Hills], [Cold Civilized Forest], [Cold Civilized Plains], [Cold Civilized Desert])
FREQUENCY: Very rare ([Cold Wilderness Hills], [Cold Wilderness Forest], [Cold Wilderness Plains], [Cold Wilderness Desert])

FREQUENCY: Very rare ([Temperate Civilized Hills], [Temperate Civilized Forest], [Temperate Civilized Plains], [Temperate Civilized Desert])
FREQUENCY: Very rare ([Temperate Wilderness Hills], [Temperate Wilderness Forest], [Temperate Wilderness Plains], [Temperate Wilderness Desert])

FREQUENCY: Very rare ([Tropical Civilized Hills], [Tropical Civilized Forest], [Tropical Civilized Plains], [Tropical Civilized Desert])
FREQUENCY: Very rare ([Tropical Wilderness Hills], [Tropical Wilderness Forest], [Tropical Wilderness Plains], [Tropical Wilderness Desert])

FREQUENCY: Uncommon ([Ethereal Plane])

-
 

<BEAN SI: A Dictionary of Fairies (p.14), by Katherine Briggs.>

<chilling touch: there is a reference to "the deadly cold that freezes from inside" in the song At Dawn They Sleep, by Slayer>

<FREQUENCIES: compare to the Climate/Terrain for elves. note: drow elves are very rare at best>

Q: Can a cleric turn a banshee?

A: According to the rules, no. Individual
DMs might allow them to be turned as
special monsters, however.
(138.12)

Quote:
<?>
Was the Groaning Spirit (Banshee) created as an undead?

No.

Quote:
Or was it some other form of creature that has undead characteristics?

Another form od spirit creature entirely, that has some powers that are also held by some undead.

Quote:
If it was created as an undead, what row would it have been turned as (Spectre maybe) on the Cleric Turning Table?

It is not an undead creature.
 
 

Quote:
Originally posted by MerricB
Geoffrey, don't forget the Banshee, nor the drow vampire in one of Gary's modules. (I'd say which, but I don't want to spoil it for people... )

Cheers!
 

Ho Merrick!

The banshee isn't undead, but a member of the Unseelie Court.

The vampire drow is indeed as noted.
I am really not sure of exactly how the non-humans like that become vampires, as they don't have souls--maybe a process similar to that of becoming a lich...

Cheers,
Gary
 

Quote:
Originally posted by MerricB
 

Oh, I see - I was misled by "The groaning spirit, or banshee, is the spirit of an evil female elf - a very rare thing indeed. The spirit returns to harm the living." (MM 1E, pg 50).

Despite the fact that a cleric can't turn them, it did sound somewhat undead. 
 

Indeed, in AD&D I "fudged" the banshee to be a spirit of an evil female elf--that flying in the face of elves being soul-less...
So you were basically correct, and I was using my revised treatment, returning the banshee into the ranks of the sidhe where they belong 

Quote:
Originally Posted by Geoffrey
Gary, I have two AD&D monster questions:

1. Why can't clerics turn groaning spirits?
As noted by another poster, the Banshee is a "Special" undead monster and is turned accordingly.

A Banshee is not a normal human undead so is to be treated as a special sort of evil spirit entity.
 

<note that REF5 lists the banshee as undead>