Publication:Dread Codex 2/Monsters/Dragonman Skeleton

''“Deep at the heart of the Paragon Mountains lies many strange ruins. Here the large undead known as the Dragonman Skeletons are found, gathering their large armies. They are creatures to be feared, not only for their strength, but for their intelligence as well. It is known that they follow the will of Dreaded Skrailwing, the huge red dragon who rules the Paragons.”''

These large skeletons are the remains of a dead race, called the dragonmen. Their bones are strong and thick, held together by a force of negative energy, and their skulls have many small spiky horns which once pierced the thick golden skin that stretched over these bones.

The dragonman skeleton is very different from other skeletons in that it has some semblance of intelligence. A red stone hovers within the large skull, and red light can be seen through the eye sockets. Some believe that these skeletons are cursed; that they remain in the world for some unknown purpose which they must fulfill. Some of these skeletons have armor (a breastplate), though most do not, and the most common weapon found in these undead creatures hands is the scimitar, a rather exotic weapon for the northern mountains.

These undead can be found in many different environments, though they are often found in the mountains and underground. Here they gather around ancient battlefields and plan their next battles. Their motives are strange, and why they choose to attack a specific city or village is often a mystery. They seem to be looking for something, however.

There is a clearly defined hierarchy among them, and often an army of dragonman skeletons will be under the influence of an undead commander chosen among themselves, though sometimes these creatures are ruled by a death knight, or perhaps a powerful red dragon. These undead creatures speak Abyssal and Draconic.

Combat
The Dragonman Skeleton is a powerful adversary, with its strength and intelligence. They are not mindless automatons like other skeletons, but know battle tactics, and will organize the fight between them so that they use their greater numbers to their advantage. They are rarely alone, and are usually found in armies of at least a hundred dragonman skeletons. They are known as quite fearless monsters.

 (Su): These are the remnants of an ancient race called the dragonmen, who had strong ties to the dragons, and they have retained some of their old powers. With this power, the skeletons awake the dragon within them, and make a loud and bestial roar. This roar will make most men fearful, and works like a fear spell, cast as a 7th level wizard. They will use this power to spread fear in their enemies before brutally slaughtering them.



Skills: These undead have strong senses, and gain a +2 racial bonus to Listen and Spot checks, and a +4 racial bonus to Intimidate. They are fear-striking creatures, tall and with a fierce grin as their strong jaw hangs below the skull, with sharp teeth, as if they were cut for the purpose.