Boneless

Boneless are without doubt the most foul result of all dark inquiries into necromancy. Created out of corpses from which the bones have been stripped, these mindless creatures exist only to execute the commands of their creator.

Boneless appear to be lanky humanoid creatures with long withered limbs and small wrinkled ball-like heads atop a flexible cord of a neck. The creases and folds of their puckered, fetid skin have a translucent reddish-brown hue. They are sometimes clothed in loose-fitting rags that are often stitched directly to their flesh. They move with a lurching uncertainty, sometimes dropping to all fours for a burst of speed or added stability.

These abominations have no ability to communicate but will follow the simple verbal commands of their creator.

Combat: Boneless are astonishingly flexible and strong. They can wield melee weapons doing normal damage, but are often instructed to grapple and constrict their victims instead. A boneless may slap with both of its withered hands in one round to deliver 1-4 points of damage for each hit.

If a boneless manages to hit a target with both hands in one round the victim has been grappled. On each succeeding round, the boneless automatically constricts its victim for an additional 2d4 points of damage. While caught in the embrace of these creatures, a victim may not cast spells requiring semantic components, make any sort of physical attack, or initiate any action other than trying to free himself. A successful bend bars/lift gates roll (by either the victim or a rescuer) will allow someone to break free of the boneless's vile grip. There is a 40% chance that anyone attempting to strike a boneless while it is grappling a victim will hit the victim instead.

Blunt weapons do half damage to the boneless while edged and piercing ones have their normal effects. A vial of holy water inflicts 1d8 points of damage to them, as does the touch of a holy symbol. Boneless can be turned normally.

Boneless are immune to fear, sleep, charm, or hold spells. Death magic, poisons, and all telepathic psionic sciences and devotions are similarly useless against them. Unless instructed otherwise, boneless will fight until destroyed.

The pliability of the boneless gives it several special abilities that make it particularly useful. For example, a boneless can work its way under a door with only a one-inch gap or be folded and fit into a space of one cubic foot.

Habitat/Society: These creatures are the result of dark experiments conducted by the wizard Faylorn while staying as a guest of the lich lord Azalin at his keep in Darkon. He found that, under the right conditions, he could animate the bones and body of a corpse quite independently. Since that time, Faylorn's methodology has spread and others have learned how to create these foul things.

Boneless have no social structure. They require neither food nor sleep, but must be periodically moistened to maintain its flexibility. Consequently, a boneless must be saturated with water once per week. Boneless who are left in at least two inches of water or an airtight compartment will require no maintenance.

Boneless who are not able to maintain their moisture lose all grappling and special movement abilities and will behave as common zombies in combat, attacking only once each round for 1d4 points of damage or by weapon. Fire-based attacks, of either a magical or mundane nature, will do double damage to a dehydrated boneless.

Ecology: Boneless have no role in nature and are purely the result of dark magic. It is said that the magic by which they are created is similar in many ways to the well-known animate dead spell, but that its material components are somewhat different. There is much evidence to support the belief that this spell functions only within on the Demiplane of Dread.