The temptress, whether undead, fey, monstrous, ghostly, divine, she's a common trope in folklore across the world. The ghula is one from the Levant and into Arabia, but when I first specced this out decades back for some reason I visualised this as looking like Cleopatra. No idea why.
The strange relationship old school D&D has with sexuality and sensuality, with some of the early artwork being not to modern tastes but with scant reference in the text, is what it is and I'm not seeking to address that here. But I kind of think we can't and needn't avoid such creatures where the folklore is so compelling, whether its the baobhan sith, the ghula, or whatever else. And they can be non-obvious, complex, and terrifying adversaries.
Ghula
by Cab Davidson
| Stat | Ghula |
| AC: | 5 |
| HD: | 5** |
| Movement Rate: | 120' (40') |
| Attacks: | 1 bite |
| Damage: | 1d12+paralysis |
| Number Appearing: | 1d6 (1d6) |
| Save As: | MU5 |
| Morale: | 11 |
| Treasure Type: | G |
| Intelligence: | 10 |
| Alignment: | Chaotic |
| XP Value: | 425 |
Ghula are undead similar in some ways to ghouls. They were native to Thothia, but being a favourite creation of many necromancers they are now found quite widely. The typically appears as a beautiful woman, but male ghula are known. They can cast spells as a 5th level magic user, and favour charms, phantasms and deceptions such as invisibility. They use their magical prowess and beauty to lure in prey, often with a carnal pretext, that prey subsequently being paralysed and devoured.
Ghula can be turned as wraiths, but note that as spellcasters they may get a save vs. turning (see RC). They immune to sleep, charm, hold, and all mind effecting magics (as is typical for undead creatures.