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Documentation Area

Document Path: /doc/monsters/giant_skeleton

Name:
	Giant Skeleton  (Undead Creature)

Stats:
	No. Appearing  : 2-8
	Climate/Terrain: Any
	Frequency      : Rare
	Organization   : Solitary
	Activity Cycle : Any
	Diet           : Nil

Description:
	Giant skeletons are similar to the more common undead skeleton, but
	they have been created with a combination of spells and are, thus, far
	more deadly than their lesser counterparts.

	Giant skeletons stand roughly 12 feet tall and look to be made from the
	bones of giants. In actuality, they are simply human skeletons that
	have benn magically enlarged. They are normally armed with long spears
	or scythes that end in keen bone blades. Rare individuals will be found
	carrying shields, but these are far from common. A small magical fire
	burns in the chest of each giant skeleton, a by-product of the magics
	that are used to make them. These flames begin just above the pelvis
	and reach upward to lick at the collar bones. Mysteriously, no burning
	or scorching occurs where the flames touch the bone.

	Giant skeletons do not communicate in any way. They can obey simple,
	verbal commands give to them by their creator, but will ignore all
	others. In order for a command to be understood by these animated ske-
	letons, it must contain no more than three distinct concepts. For ex-
	ample, "stay in this room, make sure that nobody comes in, and don't
	allow the prince to leave.", would be the type of command these crea-
	tures could obey.

Combat:
	In melee combat, giant skeletons most frequently attack with bone-
	bladed scythes or spears. Once per hour, a skeleton may reach into its
	chest and draw forth a sphere of fire from the flames that burn within
	its rib cage. This flaming sphere can be hurled as if it were a fire-
	ball. Because these creatures are immune to harm from both magical and
	normal fires, they will freely use this attack in close quarters.

	Giant skeletons are immunte to sleep, charm, hold, or similar mind-
	affecting spells. Cold-based spells inflict half damage to them, light-
	ning inflicts full damage, while fire (as already been mentioned) can-
	not harm them. They suffer half damage from edged or piercing weapons
	and but 1 point from all manner of arrows, quarrels, or missiles. Blunt
	melee weapons influct full damage on them.

	Being undead, giant skeletons can be turned by priests and paladins.
	They are more difficult to turn than mundane skeletons, however, being
	treated as if they were mummies. Holy water that is splashed upon them
	inflicts severe damage on them.

Habitat/Society:
	Giant skeletons are employed as guards and sentinels by those with the
	power to create them. It is said that the dark powers can see every-
	thing that transpires before the eyes of these foul automatons, but
	there is no proof supporting this rumour.

Ecology:
	Like lesser animated skeletons, these undead things have no true claim
	to any place in nature. They are created from the bones of those who
	have died and are amnominations in the eyes of all who belief in the
	sanctity of life and goodness.

	The process by which giant skeletons are created is dark and evil. In
	order to create a giant skeleton, a spell caster must have the intact
	skeleton of normal human or demi-human. On a night when the land is
	draped in fog, they must cast an animate dead, produce fire, enlarge,
	and resist fire spell over the bones. When the last spell is cast, the
	bones lengthen and thicken and the creature rises up.