Bone Guardians:
These creatures are basically giant skeletons more or less humanoid but misshapen. Some are white while others are yellow or even almost brown in color. They are taller than any man, about eight or nine feet tall on average. While always not quite human in form, they can be misshapen in a wide variety of ways. Some have bone growths on them while others might have horns or claws. Some are not even symmetrical and move in an almost limping fashion. Even so, they are pretty fast due to size. On the back of the skull of them is always a ward of permanency etched deeply. Some skulls look more or less human while some are more obviously demon. Some have normal human teeth while others have sharp or pointed teeth. The eyes glow a sickly green or piercing red.
Like standard skeletons, they can be armed with a variety of melee weapons and can wear armor. They have many of the same strengths and weaknesses of standard animated dead with one big exception. While they can be broken up into fragments, they always regenerate any damage within a relatively short period of time. The skull of the bone guardian appears to be unable to be destroyed. As such, the creatures will always come back. They can be turned by the spell "Turn Dead" but are highly resistant to the magic.
Basically, the guardians are unintelligent, following any command completely literally. There is a spell called "Command Bone Guardian" which necromancers, other than the one who created these animated dead guardians, can control these creatures. Due to the creatures being effectively mindless, they are usually used as guardians but can be sent for simple missions as well. Of course when they are send on a mission, they literally will never stop so they might chase someone around the world or wander the world for centuries looking for someone who they were sent after, smashing its way as they go. They always follow their last command unless someone else takes command of them.
The magic to created these guardians is extremely rare. A simple necromancer cannot create these animated guardians, instead the few who ever created these creatures are both master of the dead and masters of wards. There likely has only ever been a few dozen who knew how to create these guardians. The last one is though to have lived a few hundred years before present. It is unknown if these secrets were passed on or discovered independently. The components needed to create these guardians also include demon bones which makes their creation incredibly expensive. Most scholars seem to agree on this. Still, because these creatures are effectively permanent, they remain active long after their creators have turned to dust. Many are long forgotten and can be found in lost tombs or ruins. Even in such places, they can only be considered extremely rare.
Alignment: None
Attributes: IQ: None ME: N/A MA: N/A PS: 20 (+5) PP: 7 PE: N/A
PB: 3 SPD: 14
S.D.C. (Non-M.D.C. Worlds): 300
Natural Armor Rating: Not applicable
M.D.C. (M.D.C. Worlds): 150
Horror Factor: 8 (Increase horror factor by 2 for each time
the guardian attacks if send after an individual due to it being effectively
unstoppable)
P.P.E.: 2
Natural Abilities:
Bullets and stabbing weapons (arrows, knives, swords, spears, etc)
inflict one third damage, blunt and smashing weapons/attacks do full damage
while fire does double damage. Normal energy weapons inflict full damage
as well. The skull of the skeleton is completely indestructible and the
body of the skeleton regenerates 2D6 S.D.C. / M.D.C. per minute.
These bone guardians don't feel pain, fear, or emotions. Many magical
and psychic attacks have no effect on these ancient animated guardians.
Any attacks which effect the mind have no effect due to them being mindless
and being no more than automatons. Not effected by critical strikes or
death blows.
Combat: Two (2) attacks per melee.
Bonuses: +5 to damage due to strength, +4 to save vs
"Turn Dead"
Damage:
Normal punches, kick, and bites inflicts 1D6 S.D.C. Those with claws
inflict 2D6 S.D.C. for claw strikes and those with sharp teeth inflict
2D6 S.D.C. for bite attacks. Strength bonus is added to punch, kick, and
claw attacks.
The creature can use melee weapons but cannot use missile weapons or
modern weapons such as firearms or energy weapons. Strength bonuses are
added to S.D.C. melee weapon damage. For M.D.C. weapons, only the simplest
of weapons can be used such as magic weapons, vibro-blade, etc.
Magic: None
Psionics: None
Average Life Span: Effectively Immortal / Indestructible (Possibly
can be destroyed by a god)
Range: Can theoretically be found virtually anywhere. Can most
often be found in ancient and forgotten tombs or ruins. Even there, they
are extremely rare.
Size: Average of eight to nine feet (2.4 to 2.7 meter) tall
Weight: Average of 90 to 120 lbs (40.8 to 54.4 kg)
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Writeup by Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).
Copyright © 2008, Kitsune. All rights reserved.