Description: Jack Bones is an undead spirit of vengeance. He is a seven foot tall skeleton wearing a duster jacket, cotton pants, and a distinct wide-brimmed straw hat. His eyes glow with an ethereal light. Anyone who interacts with Jack will be surprised by how polite and gentile he talks.

Creation: The summoning of Jack Bones is a popular rural legend common among farmers and country folk. You take any human arm bone, the humerus, and carve the name “Jack” into it. You then bury it in a shallow grave at night, place some straw over it, and light six candles around the straw. Then you say the following children’s rhyme:

“Jack Bones. Jack Bones. Wake up from your bed.

Jack Bones. Jack Bones. I want someone dead.”

The words alone aren’t enough as often discovered by bored teenagers who try to summon Jack out of curiosity. He will only comes if the speaker has a genuine blood-thirst, a strong desire for violent vengeance. If that is present, Jack will rise from the ground and ask for payment. He must be paid for his work or he will attack and kill the summoner. Jack is often willing to negotiate but his price has to be something of emotional value to the summoner. It can be a family heirloom, a cherished memory, or even a skill or ability. Jack has no use for gold or jewels even if the summoner is a miser. Jack experiences life and joy through others so he will take that important object and consume it to experience the emotions associated with it. Anything traded to Jack is gone forever and cannot be recovered even with a Wish spell. Once properly paid, the summoner chooses a person for Jack to kill. Jack does not care about the guilt or innocence of the victim nor does he take any pleasure in the killing itself. Instead, he savors the bloodlust of the summoner. As such, Jack does not kill or attack anyone other than his intended target unless he must to defend himself.

Destroying Jack: The only way to dismiss Jack once he has been summoned is for him to kill the summoner if a bargain was not struck, kill a chosen victim on a successful bargain, or to dig up and destroy the bone used to summon him. Any of these three methods will send Jack back to ethereal plane.

Jack Bones

Medium Undead, Lawful Neutral

Armor Class 15 (leather armor)

Hit Points 90 (15d8+30)

Speed 30 ft., teleport 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA

18(+4) 16(+3) 15(+2) 14(+2) 14(+2) 16(+3)

Saving Throws: Dex +7, Con +7, Int +6, Wis +6

Damage Resistance: Non-magical slashing and piercing weapons.

Damage Vulnerability: Bludgeoning weapons.

Condition Immunities: Exhaustion, poisoned, charmed.

Senses: Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 12

Languages: Common

Challenge 12 (8,400 XP)

Forbiddance: Jack Bones cannot enter the residence of a person without an invitation from one of its occupants. A guest cannot allow Jack entrance, only a person who considers the residence a home.

Material Tether: Jack Bones comes from the ethereal plane. He cannot exist in the material plane unless summoned through a ritual using a human humerus bone. Provided the bone remains undamaged, Jack Bones cannot be truly destroyed. If reduced to zero hit points, Jack’s body disintegrates but will reform at full hit points within 24 hours during the next night above the bone used to summon him. If the bone used to summon him is destroyed, Jack Bones returns to the ethereal plane even if he has not completed his work.

Predator’s Aura: Jack exudes the aura of a dangerous predator. Any animal that comes within 60 ft. of Jack must make a Wisdom saving throw with a difficulty DC of 15. Tiny animals automatically fail their roles. On a success, the animal is spooked. The animal will sense Jack’s presence and become defensive and fearful. It will not willingly attack Jack except in defense. On a fail, the animal is frightened for 1d6+2 rounds and will flee away from Jack as fast as it can.

Memory Consumption: If Jack eats the body of a dead humanoid creature, he learns that creatures most cherished memories along with any recent memories. Jack experiences all of the emotions tied to these memories.

Teleport: As a move action, Jack can teleport up to 30 ft. He cannot teleport into a creature or object or through walls.

Actions:

Multi-Attack: Jack makes three attacks. If Jack hits a single target with all three of his claw attacks, the last attack is a rending strike.

Claws. Melee weapon attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (1d8+7) slashing damage. Rending strike deals 19 (3d8+7) slashing damage.