ᛁᛚᛚᛋᚲᚨᛋᛏ ᛒᛖᛁᚾᛖᚾ

“Illskast beinen” (“furious bones”). When the restless dead of England who are not powerful enough to become angry corpses age and rot sufficiently, their skin and muscle and fat drops from their bones. Thus freed from the prison of the flesh, these undead become skeletons (“astærfed bánes,” or “dried bones”), life-hating undead that hunt and kill everything that lives, whether compelled to by a necromancer, because of a curse, or simply because the in life the being was malicious and spiteful. Angelcynn know them of old, but for the Vikings they come as an unpleasant surprise.

Medium undead, life-hating, angry, and energetic

Armor Class 12 (natural armor)
Hit Points 13 (2d8+4)
Speed 30 ft

Str 18 (+4) Dex 14 (+2) Con 15 (+2)
Int 6 (-2) Wis 8 (-1) Cha 5 (-3)

Condition Immunities bleeding, charmed, dreamy, exhausted, frightened, poisoned, weakened, woozy
Damage Immunities necrotic, poison
Damage Resistances piercing, slashing
Damage Vulnerabilities bludgeoning
Senses darkvision 60 ft, passive Perception 9
Languages understands all languages it knew in life but can’t speak
Reaction to anger and fear
Challenge ¼ (500 xp)

ACTIONS

Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft, one target. Hit: 8 (1d6+4) bludgeoning damage.

MOTIVES

Skeletons have no motives for what they do; they obey the commands of the necromancer who summoned them or they hunt and kill all living things out of a primal unthinking anger and spite.

ALLIES

Skeletons are rarely encountered alone. Usually they appear in packs, whether on their own or serving as minions to necromancers and other more powerful creatures.