Insectoid Skeleton

These are dead insect shells raised as undead by evil wizards and priests who enjoy twisting nature. The method closely follows that for ordinary skeletons, using a special version of animate dead that may have been devised by a drow necromancer, though no one can confirm it.

From afar they pass for living insects, but a closer look shows missing eyes and abdomens and shells cracked or chipped in many spots, and most grind and click harshly as they move. They cannot speak or understand language, yet grasp and obey their master's simple orders instantly. They have no habitat or society of their own and serve as guards, shock troops, tireless diggers or beasts of burden.

Most keep the natural attacks they had in life, except that venom and poison are lost, though a stinger can still pierce. Every type is immune to cold-based attacks and to spells of fear, hold, charm and sleep, and edged or piercing weapons do half damage, since there are no vital organs to puncture or blood to spill.

Skeletal ants are always made in groups and fight by swarming, with at least three ganging up on each target. Their mandibles deal 1-6 points per bite.

Unique among these husks, the tick's shell can still hold fluid. It bites with its mandibles, and once it has hit it keeps drinking automatically, draining 1d6 hit points every round. In contrast to a living tick it never gets full: blood simply spills out of the shell once it is filled, so there is no limit to how much it takes. At least it carries none of the diseases living ticks spread.

For each 10 points of blood it holds, the tick can spray a stream of it as far as 10 yards. A target hit by the stream must save vs. paralyzation; failure leaves it sightless for 2d4 rounds.

This one gores with two 8-foot horns for 1d10 each and bites with its terrible mandibles for 4d4. With a running start of 25 feet or more it also tramples its target for another 2d10 points.