Blackskull

Medium Undead (Extraplanar)
Hit Dice:	9d12 (58 hp)
Initiative:	+4
Speed:	40 ft.
Armor Class:	17 (+4 Dex, +3 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 13
Base Attack/Grapple:	+4/+5
Attack:	+10 melee (1d4+3/19-20 plus poison, +1 cold iron dagger)
Full Attack:	+10 melee (1d4+3/19-20 plus poison, +1 cold iron dagger)
Space/Reach:	5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks:	Poison, sneak attack +3d6
Special Qualities:	Damage reduction 5/magic and bludgeoning, silent shroud of darkness, turn resistance +4
Saves:	Fort +3, Ref +7, Will +7
Abilities:	Str 15, Dex 19, Con - , Int 3, Wis 12, Cha 10
Skills:	Hide +12, Move Silently +4, Listen +5, Spot +5
Feats:	Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Great Fortitude, Weapon Finesse
Environment:	Plane of Shadow (Gomdulla's Canyon)
Organization:	Solitary
Challenge Rating:	6
Treasure:	None
Alignment:	Lawful Evil
Advancement:	10-18 HD (Medium)
Level Adjustment:	-

Silence descends as a skeletal figure shrouded in darkness lunges at you with a black chiv.There are times when Gomdulla the Shadow Dragon gets really annoyed. There are times - rare times, granted - that people are able to enter his domain and leave again with something of his. It is times like these that Gomdulla sends in someone to deal with this slight.Blackskulls are undead assassins, used simply to kill thieves and retrieve stolen items. They are rarely seen; not simply because few of them are encountered, but also because they are completely shrouded in darkness. However, if this darkness is somehow banished, their true form is revealed. They resemble human skeletons, their bones turned black thanks to the foul magics cast over them. They are found completely unclothed, carrying nothing but a dagger of black steel, with which they attack their enemies. Blackskulls never speak, and move in complete silence.Combat

Perhaps the most terrifying thing about the blackskull is that one will never see or hear them coming. It sneaks up on an opponent and delivers its sneak attack. The blackskull's dagger dissolves into a poisonous paste within seconds of the creature's destruction.

Poison (Ex): Each dagger strike that a blackskull makes can infect the target with the shadow essence poison; Fort DC 17, initial damage 1 point of permanent Strength drain, secondary damage 2d6 points of temporary Strength damage.

Silent Shroud of Darkness (Su): A continually emmanates silence and darkness. All creatures within 20 ft. of the blacksull are silenced, and must attempt a DC 14 Will save each time they attempt to make a sound (including casting spells with verbal components). The save DC is Charisma-based. Also, illumination in that area is reduced to the level of shadowy illumination (unless already darker), granting concealment (20% miss chance) to all; a daylight spell suppresses this darkness, but a light spell does not.

Sneak Attack (Ex): A blackskull can make a sneak attack like a rogue, dealing an extra 3d6 points of damage whenever a foe is denied his Dexterity bonus, or when the blackskull is flanking.

Undead Traits: Immunity to all mind-affecting effects, to poison, sleep effects, to any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects or is harmless), paralysis, stunning, disease, death effects, as well as to fatigue and exhaustion effects; not subject to critical hits, nonlethal damage, ability drain, or energy drain; negative energy heals it, and positive harms it. Uses its Charisma modifier for Concentration checks. Not at risk of death from massive damage, but when reduced to 0 hit points or less, it is immediately destroyed.

Skills: A blackskull has a +4 racial bonus on Hide checks.

Habitat/Society

Blackskulls exist for one purpose alone: to kill. If given a name and description of their target, they then seek that target out without any further ado, needing no rest. They are incapable of any action other than pursuit, self-defence and killing once their targets have been assigned. If their victim stole an item of Gomdulla's, they will retrieve that item too, but only if instructed to do so.

Ecology

Blackskulls are not natural creatures. Like all undead, they play no role in the food chain. Alchemists will pay handsomely for a skull taken from a destroyed blackskull (assume upwards of 200 gp). The spells used in the creation of a blackskull are unknown, but their limited intelligence suggests that the bodies used must be killed by energy draining, just like ju-ju zombies. Perhaps Gomdulla's breath weapon is a factor in this.

Original concept by Gloomwing from Shadegate.Converted (v3.5) and edited by Seraph and Nemui.