# Bonehowler – Wiki Profile ## Overview The **Bonehowler** is a terrifying undead siege-beast crafted from the bones of dozens of slain villagers and soldiers. It is a sentient construct of necrotic intelligence and hate, **animated by [[Rarvas]] Mev** and likely designed at the behest of **[[Raphael]]** to punish defiance and shatter morale. It howls not with its own voice, but with the combined agony of the souls used to build it. - **Name:** The Bonehowler - **Type:** Undead Construct (Siege Beast) - **Affiliation:** Controlled by [[Rarvas]] Mev / Indirect servant of [[Raphael]] - **Threat Level:** CR 13 (Major Battlefield Threat) --- ## Origins & Construction Forged in the shadowed rituals beneath the [[Talonalton]] crypts, the Bonehowler is assembled from **the desecrated remains of villagers**—bodies left unburied or torn apart in ghoul attacks. Their bones are fused together by **ritual soulbinding**, encasing them in a massive, spiked form that vaguely resembles a quadrupedal predator or skeletal war-beast. The necromantic rites that animate the Bonehowler don’t merely create motion—they capture **echoes of dying screams and final memories**, which are interwoven into its howling breath. --- ## Physical Description The Bonehowler is a hulking mass of jagged bones, antlers, fangs, and spines. Multiple skulls adorn its chest and back—some screaming, others gnashing eternally. Its legs move with disturbing precision, and its claws can shear through stone. Where its mouth should be is a **gaping void**, from which its banshee-like howl pours. Its presence leaves a trail of unease: **plants blacken**, **shadows lengthen**, and **the air grows silent** before its scream breaks the world open. --- ## Psychological Impact The Bonehowler is more than a weapon—it is a **message**. Its howls cause even seasoned warriors to falter, and its appearance signals that no soul is safe—not even in death. Those who hear its scream often report **nightmares**, **phantom pain**, or a lingering sense of dread, as if part of their spirit was touched by the creature’s echo. --- ## Known Uses - Sent after the villagers who escaped [[Talonalton]] to **Hearthstone**, as a form of punishment and containment - Serves as a morale-breaking front-line force that causes fear and confusion before ghoul armies strike - Designed not for subtlety, but for overwhelming terror and destruction --- ## Command Structure - Responds to [[Rarvas]] Mev’s commands through unspoken necrotic link - May operate autonomously if its controller is killed, acting on imprinted commands to **slaughter survivors** and **seek out holy resistance** --- ## Potential Weaknesses (Lore-Based) - Its form is held together by **binding glyphs**—disrupting them may weaken its body - Holy ground or sacred relics can disrupt its howl and suppress its regeneration - Its rage may make it predictable—baiting it into traps or divine wards is a viable strategy --- ## Quotes & Legends - _“It didn’t just roar—it screamed like my sister. And she’s been dead two winters.”_ – Survivor from [[Talonalton]] - _“You don’t kill it. You break its bones until it forgets how to stand.”_ – Veteran Talon Whisperwind|Talon Rider - _“That thing doesn’t breathe, doesn’t eat, doesn’t stop. It howls because it remembers you.”_ – [[Lessa Fernlight]] --- ### **Type of Necromancy Used** The Bonehowler was not created with common reanimation spells like _Animate Dead_ or _Create Undead_. Instead, it’s the product of **advanced soulbinding necromancy**, a forbidden practice drawing from: - **Composite Soul Imprinting**: Dozens of fractured souls were magically entangled and woven into the Bonehowler’s skeletal structure. This grants it intelligence and rage far beyond typical undead. - **Howl Matrix Glyphwork**: The roar is channeled through layered **necrotic sound glyphs** fused into its ribcage and spine. These glyphs weaponize the torment of its component souls into a **sonic despair effect**, affecting morale, inducing fear, and even causing lingering spiritual trauma. - **Anchor Sigils**: A corrupted series of runes carved into the beast’s skulls and pelvis bones function as a binding web. These are not just control glyphs—they’re designed to make the creature **semi-autonomous**, capable of enacting "final orders" even after the caster's death. - **Bone Harvest Ritual**: [[Rarvas]] used a ritual variant that **siphons latent agony** from mass graves. These rituals are rare and ancient, first developed during the **Blood Epoch of [[Karudasos]]**. These magics trace directly back to stolen **ritual designs and soul glyphwork** [[Armara]] helped develop within [[Top Factions/South Angoria/Silvervale/The Shadows|The Shadows]]. This breach has ignited her personal vendetta against [[Rarvas]]. --- ### **Other Bonehowlers?** Yes—**it is possible** there are others. - The spellwork and construction methods suggest a **reproducible design**, likely codified in a necromantic tome or scroll. - Some glyphs bear the **markings of [[Raphael]]'s personal script**, indicating this may be one of several prototypes or regional deployments. - The Bonehowler is referred to internally as a "**Mourning Behemoth, Variant 4**" — suggesting prior versions or models. A PC with this knowledge could assume: - [[Rarvas]] or [[Raphael]] may be developing a **series** of these for deployment across South Angoria. - Some regions with heavy undead activity (e.g., abandoned towns, battlefields) may be **hiding dormant Bonehowlers**, waiting for commands or triggers. - Defeating this one could **draw attention** from its creators, as it represents a loss of a high-value weapon.