Polyhedron Newszine was once a publication of the Role-Playing Game Association (RPGA) and featured lots of material primarily devoted to TSR games. The following converted monster appeared in Bob Blake’s adventure “Llywelyn's Tomb,” from issue 18 (1984).

This creature resembles a human skeleton clad in fine-textured, heavy robes of a black, charcoal grey. The bones are a deep red, as if dipped in blood; the eye sockets are jet black.

Bloody bones are undead monsters from the Nine Hells, summoned by evil clerics to aid in protecting evil shrines from the depredations of good clerics. Bloody bones are of two types: weaker minions and the more powerful masters.

Strategies and Tactics

Masters typically deploy their minions to guard the periphery of the shrine. If any intruders approach, the minions engage them so that the master may assess their strength. If the interlopers prove too strong for the minions to handle, the master commands the minions to use dimension door and hit-and-run tactics to lure intruders toward the dark heart of the evil shrine, where the master, the minions, and any other undead lie patiently in wait.

In battle the bloody bones attack with iron-hard, rending claws suffused with negative energy. They use this energy to heal damage; they use their dimension door ability to keep intruders confused and on the move.

Sample Encounter

Typically, PCs on the Material Plane will only encounter bloody bones as summoned guardians.

Infernal Guard (EL 11): A typical force called from the Nine Hells consists of a single master bloody bones and six minions.

Ecology

Over time, the master bloody bones often draws all undead within a 20 mile radius to its service. Once installed in an evil area, the bloody bones uses its desecrating aura to exert influence on any undead therein. The strength of the master is directly dependent upon the number of its minions; the loss of each minion diminishes the strength of the master.

Environment: Bloody bones are native to the Nine Hells of Baator, though they are most commonly encountered acting as guards to evil shrines on the Material Plane.

Typical Physical Characteristics: Typical minions stand between 5 and 6 feet tall. Typical master are over 8 feet in height.

Society

Bloody bones have no society of their own, and exist only as servitors within the infernal hierarchy.

Alignment: Bloody bones are always lawful evil.

Typical Treasure

Neither a master nor its minions have any interest in treasure, though the shrine they guard may contain wealth in the form of infernal offerings.

For Player Characters

Bloody bones may be summoned to the Material Plane using a specialized spell.

Summon Bloody Bones

As the blood drops to the floor, you hear a distant, baleful moaning as a master bloody bones and six minions are called up from the depths of hell to guard an evil shrine.

This spell can only be cast within 20 feet of an altar, shrine, or other permanent fixture dedicated to your evil deity or aligned higher power. By casting this spell, you request your deity to send you a master bloody bones and six minions to guard this profane space for one year.

The master and its minions will act as diligent guards during their watch, but they are under absolutely no obligation to render any additional services to you during their time on the Material Plane.

At the end of the year of service, the creatures return to the Nine Hells.

Material Component: Seven drops of blood from a good creature and 25 gp worth (5 pounds) of silver dust, all of which must be sprinkled around the area.

XP Cost 300 XP.