Skeleton

Every skeleton is undead, raised through magic, usually by an evil wizard or priest wanting guards or soldiers. Lacking muscle, sinew, eyes and organs, its bones are held together and moved purely by the animate dead spell that created it. Raw material can be humans or demihumans, animals no larger than a man, or big humanoids such as giants or bugbears.

Skeletons of man-sized humanoids are always armed, typically with a rusted spear or sword, and because magic makes poor muscles their hits deal just 1-6 points. Animal skeletons generally bite for 1-4 unless the creature is plainly too small for that; a skeletal rat should do only 1-2. Monster skeletons, which are always made from humanoids, swing giant-sized weapons for the same damage as the living creature, minus any Strength bonus.

Sleep, charm and hold spells have no effect, and neither do fear spells. Cold cannot hurt bare bones. Swords, spears, daggers and other edged or piercing weapons mostly pass through empty space and deal half damage, while blunt weapons made to smash bone deal full damage, as does fire. A vial of holy water does 2-8 points. Skeletons never check morale, usually being ordered to fight until destroyed, and collapse into a clattering heap when they fall.

There is nothing social about them. They turn up wherever someone has the power to make them. Some neutral priests of death deities raise whole armies in dark times. A good cleric may create one only with the dead being's consent, given in life or after, plus the deity's explicit approval, since most good gods frown on disturbing the dead, human or animal.

Almost mindless, a skeleton can follow only a simple order of a phrase or two and tends to ruin anything more complicated. They attack as a disorganized mob. Mixed groups of human, animal and monster skeletons sometimes guard a master's tower or dungeon together.

Unless its bones are destroyed or widely scattered, a fallen skeleton can be raised again with another animate dead. Tales of a higher-level version of the spell producing skeletons that pull themselves back together after destruction remain unconfirmed.