Arones
Fowl undead creatures, these are a great threat to anyone who wishes to explore the colder environments. They can come into existence in one of two ways. First, evil wizards who live in frozen environments sometimes find these monsters to be useful, and use them as a substitute for other undead creatures. Secondly, and far more commonly, explorers and hunters who die in the arctic, freezing and starving, may find that their corpse rises after death, with the sole purpose of consuming everything they can find. These creatures tend to travel in packs, bringing brave men and women down to their deaths to satisfy their cravings. Traditionally, these creatures stay in their arctic homes, but there have been more than a few occasions where, during particularly frigid winters, they found their way down to more populated areas, and wreaked havoc on small villages.
Physically, Arones look very much like they did when they died. The ice preserves them, keeping their corpses from decaying. Their bodies are as white as snow, and frost clings to them intensely. An Arone’s eyes are completely white. Arones tend to stay close to the ground, in a feral stance, leaping upwards when they attack.
Arones
Medium Undead
Hit Dice: 8d12 (48)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 30 feet
Armor Class: 18 (+3 Dex, +5 Natural)
Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+8
Attack: 2 Claws +9, Bite +8
Full Attack: Claws (1d8+4+1d10 cold), Bite (1d6+4)
Space/Reach: 5ft/5ft
Special Attacks: Frost Disease, Frost Strike, Tackle
Special Qualities: Undead Traits, Cold Immunity, Fast Healing 5
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +7, Will +5
Abilities: Str 18, Dex 16, Con-, Wis 12, Int 3, Cha 3
Skills: Climb +11, Survival +11
Feats: Track, Weapon Focus Claw
Environment: Any cold
Organization: Solitary or Pack (4-10)
Challenge Rating: 5
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always Neutral Evil
Advancement: None
Level Adjustment: None
Frost Disease: Disease-bite. Fortitude DC 18, incubation period two hours, damage 1d6 con and 1d6 dex. Anyone infected can be smelled by any Arone in a mile radius, who come eagerly to the fresh meat.
Frost Strike: Arones deal an additional 1d10 cold damage with their claw attack (already calculated under claw.)
Tackle: An Arone who initiates a grapple gets a +3 to the grapple check for that round. Any roud that an Arone succeeds on his grapple attack, he may bite with an additional +2 to hit.
Cold Immunity: Arones are immune to the cold and any cold damage. While they do not like heat, it does not particularly harm them.