Bone Taker Legend Lore

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Wynna
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Bone Taker Legend Lore

Post by Wynna »

This is sent to the Lodge, the Company and the Order of Magists, on Font stationary embossed with a white quill watermark.

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Friends,

After hearing of the existence of a creature of bone and terror that will likely stand between Vansa and that vampire’s utter destruction, Seeker Gardner called upon the greatest resources of the Font of Knowledge to learn more. Through prayerful research into Oghma’s Truth, certain cautionary and informative portents were divined of this “Bonetaker.”

Bonetaker <- Osedax Tyrannus Immortuos <- Undead

The bonetaker is a massive undead creature composed entirely of the bones of dead beings. It slays creatures and subsumes their bones into its own form. The monster is protean, in that it can appear as a giant pile of bones or as virtually any large shape to suit its needs. One such shape was encountered in the Crypt of Chauntea lately in the forum of a “dragon of bone” to quote eyewitnesses. After attempts to strike at it failed in every way, that visage of the bonetaker drove an experienced party of adventurers into tactical retreat.


Known Bonetaker Strengths

Little practical knowledge was gained from that encounter, but deeper Truth reveals that part of its fluidity of shape includes the ability to split off smaller portions of itself to fight. This raises the spectre of being flanked or harried by miniature versions while the main body directs a bony army and draws back to stand with the vampire queen.

Whether in miniature or massive form, every strike of the bonetaker is of deadly force. Much, much worse is that every successful strike by the osteophagic horror can pull the very bones from its enemies. If one is consumed by the bonetaker, the assimilation of one’s bones makes recovery of one’s body impossible by standard means, which calls into doubt even the power of such as Loremaster Sandrew the Wise to intercede with the gods for resurrection services.

It is thought that the bonetaker will shrug off most damage from normal weapons and those with only simple enchantments

Of final note is that the bonetaker is highly resistant to arcane attacks. The power of the Weave may be attenuated against it in forms of attack such as those employing cold or electricity.


Potential Bonetaker Weaknesses

Although the one known encounter with the monster revealed no weaknesses, legendary lore does not indicate that it is invulnerable. Although huge, dreadful and powerful, it is at its basis an undead being and subject to the flaws of such things.

The blessed waters of goodly deities, the searing light of Lathander and Oghma, holy weapons and artifacts may all serve to combat it, if employed in such number and strength that they eventually wear it down. Caveat Bellator: Do not use all available objects of power against it. Some must be reserved for the final goal. It is possible this may be the last foe standing, but if Vansa Khalun still exists at the time this being is driven to stand and fight, enough must be held in reserve that the vampire queen may meet a deserved end.

One interesting point of conjecture discovered in ancient legend is that such a beast may not differentiate between the bones of undead and living creatures. In theory, it would devour the skeletal structure of any being to increase itself. Perhaps there is some way of using that to advantage, against the undead with articulated skeletal structure that we will no doubt encounter in any excursion to find and destroy Vansa Khalun.

Another theoretical plan of attack is that a bonetaker would find no bones to devour in such things as elemental summons or elementally based golems. Although it may destroy them as easily as it would any other attacker, it would grow no larger after such a fight. If there exists any means of summoning elementals or employing golems to fight it, those should be considered.

Courage, friends. Knowledge is power we did not have before. May the Truth guide you in all things.

Clarianna Gardner
Seeker of Oghma
Enjoy the game
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