Flameskull

Start-class article · First seen: s16 · Last seen: s22
Flameskull
Flameskulls · flame-skull · flame-skulls
Portrait of Flameskull.
Character
StatusDead
First seens16
Last seens22

The flameskull is a floating skull of fire that the party has met twice: a pair in the sarcophagus chamber of the Eldwythe sewers in session 16 and a pair under a toppled mummy-lord statue in the ridge temple in session 22 [20][62][50]. They filled rooms with fire, fired volleys of glowing darts that the DM called Magic Missile, and put severed jaws back on [54][5][63][32][36]. In session 22 one skull flew into the other, and the merged mass of skulls fell to Father Thomas’s Moonbeam; holy water was then needed to stop the skulls returning [21][16][43]. All four are destroyed.

Overview

The flameskull is a floating skull of fire, “a floating skull made out of fire” in the DM’s words [14]. Hugo called the session 16 pair “flame skull” [15], and at the end of the session 22 fight the DM called the merged creature “the Flameskull” [16], which gives this page its name. The party met a pair in the Eldwythe sewers in session 16 and another pair in the ridge temple in session 22, and recognised the type at once: “We’ve fought these things before, right?” [17].

Appearance and demeanour

Skulls wreathed in fire that float in the air [14]. They wake when their eyes kindle, “two skulls ignite their eyes” [18], and a skull’s eyes “start to glow a violent red” as it strikes [19]. The first skull of session 16 “grins before the only thing you can see is fire” [20]. The merged creature of session 22 spawned “a monkey skull and a dragon skull” [21]. They guard what lies under the tombs and attack whoever disturbs them; as the DM put it, “it’s almost like disturbing ancient tombs with mummy lord statues it’s a warning” [22].

Abilities as played

What the party saw, not a published stat block. Each skull filled the room with fire once in a fight, half damage on a save: 24 and 21 in session 16, 26 and 25 in session 22, the second “because this goes around corners”, and the skulls shrug off each other’s fire [23][24][25][26][27][28]. Each could fire volleys of four glowing darts, which the DM named Magic Missile, and Shield stopped whole volleys [29][30][31][32][33]. A skull’s opportunity attack was a scorching ray for 18 fire [34][35]. A struck jaw or chin flies back and reattaches [5][36]. Turn Undead frightened some of them [37], and Moonbeam “burns whatever necrotic magic is keeping it alive” [38]. The merged skull conjured six darts, not four, and three “fire ray” beams at once, melee or ranged by distance, and was “not really shapeshifted” [39][40][41][42]. Holy water or Dispel Evil and Good keeps the remains down [43].

Relationships

Disposition towards the party

Hostile and territorial. Both pairs woke when the party disturbed what they guarded, a chest’s contents in session 16 and a statue in session 22, and fought until they were put out [49][50].

Notable quotes

“It’s a floating skull made out of fire.” — Nick (DM), [14]

“Oh wait shit these are the exploding skulls.” — Caelumn, [51]

“It’s almost like disturbing ancient tombs with mummy lord statues it’s a warning.” — Nick (DM), [22]

“You’re going to see the skull fly down to the other one and fly into it as it merges in a whirlpool of fire as it grows in size as it absorbs the other one.” — Nick (DM), [21]

“As it passes through, it burns whatever necrotic magic is keeping it alive.” — Nick (DM), [38]

History in the campaign

Session 16: Through the Sewers, Onto the Skiff

Main article: Session 16

In a chamber of five sarcophagi deep in the sewers, Caelumn lifted a potion bottle from a chest on a plinth, and something clicked beneath it: black light ran through the seam of the plinth and the tombs began to open [52][53]. Two flameskulls rose among several ghouls. The first blast did 24 fire to Terry, half to Caelumn and nearly killed a ghoul beside them; the skulls are immune to their own fire [2]. A skull’s opportunity attack dropped Caelumn, a second blast hit Terry for 21, and a volley of darts put Althea down [35][25][54]. Terry’s critical hit severed a chin that flew back into place [5]; Hugo’s opportunity attack and Vasquez’s sword put both fires out [6].

Session 22: The Dragon in the Statue

Main article: Session 22

Behind a secret door in the statue room of the ridge temple, Hugo found that a cobwebbed mummy-lord statue was “like a cork” over a circular seam, and shoved it over; two skulls lit their eyes [55][45][7]. Blasts of 26 and 25 fire swept the room, and Shield turned away their darts [8][9]. At the end of Caelumn’s turn one skull flew into the other and they merged [21], firing six darts and three beams [39][56]. Terry held the doorway, Hugo’s axe and a thrown stone cracked the skulls, and Father Thomas’s Moonbeam put the fire out [48][57][58][16]. Holy water on the remains kept them from returning [13].

Status

As of session 23. All destroyed. In session 16 both skulls’ fires went out, one to Hugo and one to Vasquez [59][60]; nothing was done to their remains, and whether they could return is not stated. In session 22 the merged flameskull was put out by Father Thomas’s Moonbeam [16], and holy water on its remains stopped the skulls reappearing [61].

See also

References

  1. ^ Session 16, line 1240-1277: The sarcophagus chamber: five sarcophagi, a chest on a plinth; lifting the potion springs the trap.
  2. ^ Session 16, line 1298-1308: The first blast, 24 fire; "The skulls are immune.".
  3. ^ Session 16, line 1367-1377: A skull's opportunity attack on Caelumn: 18 fire, "fired in the back by a scorching ray".
  4. ^ Session 16, line 1407-1439: The second skull's blast (21 fire) and a volley of four darts: "That was Magic Missile".
  5. ^ Session 16, line 1455: Terry's critical hit severs a chin that flies back and reattaches.
  6. ^ Session 16, line 1537-1544: Hugo's opportunity attack and Vasquez's sword put out both skulls.
  7. ^ Session 22, line 1062-1066: The mummy-lord statue "like a cork"; "two skulls ignite their eyes".
  8. ^ Session 22, line 1093-1118: The two blasts, 26 and 25 fire; the second "goes around corners".
  9. ^ Session 22, line 1196-1211: Four glowing darts from each skull, stopped by Shield.
  10. ^ Session 22, line 1304-1325: The merge "in a whirlpool of fire"; "a combined of the two"; "it absorbs all energies".
  11. ^ Session 22, line 1381-1406: Three "fire ray" beams, melee within reach and ranged beyond.
  12. ^ Session 22, line 1433-1594: Moonbeam, Hugo's axe and a thrown stone; "the fire extinguishes and the skulls drop to the floor".
  13. ^ Session 22, line 1696-1701: Holy water or Dispel Evil and Good stops them reappearing; "The magic disappears.".
  14. ^ Session 22, line 1155: Inline citation.
  15. ^ Session 16, line 1354: Inline citation.
  16. ^ Session 22, line 1594: Inline citation.
  17. ^ Session 22, line 1104: Inline citation.
  18. ^ Session 22, line 1066: Inline citation.
  19. ^ Session 22, line 1353: Inline citation.
  20. ^ Session 16, line 1298: Inline citation.
  21. ^ Session 22, line 1304: Inline citation.
  22. ^ Session 22, line 1157: Inline citation.
  23. ^ Session 16, line 1301: Inline citation.
  24. ^ Session 16, line 1308: Inline citation.
  25. ^ Session 16, line 1415: Inline citation.
  26. ^ Session 22, line 1093: Inline citation.
  27. ^ Session 22, line 1109: Inline citation.
  28. ^ Session 22, line 1118: Inline citation.
  29. ^ Session 16, line 1437: Inline citation.
  30. ^ Session 16, line 1439: Inline citation.
  31. ^ Session 16, line 1527: Inline citation.
  32. ^ Session 22, line 1196: Inline citation.
  33. ^ Session 22, line 1201: Inline citation.
  34. ^ Session 16, line 1369: Inline citation.
  35. ^ Session 16, line 1377: Inline citation.
  36. ^ Session 22, line 1377: Inline citation.
  37. ^ Session 16, line 1425-1431: Inline citation.
  38. ^ Session 22, line 1535: Inline citation.
  39. ^ Session 22, line 1312: Inline citation.
  40. ^ Session 22, line 1385: Inline citation.
  41. ^ Session 22, line 1406: Inline citation.
  42. ^ Session 22, line 1464: Inline citation.
  43. ^ Session 22, line 1696: Inline citation.
  44. ^ Session 16, line 1463: Inline citation.
  45. ^ Session 22, line 1002: Inline citation.
  46. ^ Session 22, line 1607: Inline citation.
  47. ^ Session 22, line 1693-1696: Inline citation.
  48. ^ Session 22, line 1397: Inline citation.
  49. ^ Session 16, line 1270-1277: Inline citation.
  50. ^ Session 22, line 1064-1066: Inline citation.
  51. ^ Session 22, line 1074: Inline citation.
  52. ^ Session 16, line 1240: Inline citation.
  53. ^ Session 16, line 1270-1272: Inline citation.
  54. ^ Session 16, line 1437-1439: Inline citation.
  55. ^ Session 22, line 974: Inline citation.
  56. ^ Session 22, line 1381-1390: Inline citation.
  57. ^ Session 22, line 1489: Inline citation.
  58. ^ Session 22, line 1572: Inline citation.
  59. ^ Session 16, line 1538: Inline citation.
  60. ^ Session 16, line 1544: Inline citation.
  61. ^ Session 22, line 1698-1701: Inline citation.
  62. ^ Session 16, line 1355: Inline citation.
  63. ^ Session 22, line 1095: Inline citation.