“The Gutters Slasher.” “Full Moon Killer.” “The Buzzing Horror of Lankkirk.” “Dr. Bones.”

What do these four infamous killers have in common? They are all the same creature, or rather collection of creatures. Each beetle of this unique hive is crested with what appears to be a tiny, human skull of off-white with scarlet wings under a darker red carapace. Though, this sentient swarm isn’t spotted in its natural state often, and those that see it usually don’t live to tell the tale. Most of the time, the swarm nests within a humanoid corpse, which it animates. The insects take great care to keep their walking hive clothed while breeding and feeding in the rotten flesh. It’s not long, however, before skin sloughs away, revealing bloody honeycombs strapped in place with cloth or leather. The corpse’s eyes are always eaten first, with two fat, skull-headed grubs taking their place.

Sometimes Deaths’ Head claims it came to be by feeding on the body of a lich, mummy, or vampire of some regional fame. Other times, it spins a yarn about rising from the corpses of a famous plague from a kingdom’s history. The truth is worse. Death’s Head has always been stalking the world since the very beginning and is an effluence from the Gods creation of the first humanoid races. The swarm doesn’t realize this, but it still harbors a deep-rooted loathing for those beings the Gods favored by casting the swarm aside. Since that time it has murdered an innumerable number of people and is far far removed from the first clutch of vile insects. Still, it’s motivations do not, and will never, change.

Sadistic Killer. The swarm hates humanoids of all sorts. It doesn’t know why and it doesn’t care. Humanoids are more than its food source and breeding ground, they are also the swarm’s play things. Death’s Head gains pleasure from the terror it inflicts on a populace, and thus goes out of its way to craft a new, sinister look for each new zombified hive. It carefully cultivates the mythos around it. In this way it ensures that its many legends live in, haunting a city or even region long after it has shed a used-up corpse and moved on.

Death's Head

Medium swarm of Tiny beasts, chaotic evil

Armor Class 18 (natural armor)

Hit Points 127 (15d8 + 60)

Speed 10ft

Flight 40 ft. (hover)

Str 12 Dex 26 Con 18 Int 12 Wis 17 Cha 7

Saving Throws Dex +13, Con +9

Skills Deception +3, Insight +8, Perception +8, Persuasion +3

Damage Resistances cold, necrotic; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren't silvered

Damage Immunities poison

Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained, stunned

Senses darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 10 ft., passive Perception 18

Languages Languages its current host knew in life, otherwise common

Challenge 14 (11,500 XP)

Corpse Bound.

While Corpse Riding, Death's Head's movement becomes 30ft and its fly speed becomes 10ft (hover). It loses its immunities to Grapple, Prone, and Restrained.

Hive Stride.

Once on its turn, the swarm can use 10 feet of its movement to step magically into one living insect hive within its reach and emerge from a second living insect hive within 60 feet of the first hive appearing in an unoccupied space within 5 feet of the second hive.

Magic Resistance.

The swarm has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Magic Weapons. While Corpse Riding the swarm's weapon attacks are magical.

Swarm.

When not Corpse Riding, the swarm can occupy another creature's space and vice versa, and the swarm can move through any opening large enough for a tiny insect. The swarm can't regain hit points or gain temporary hit points except via Corpse Riding.

Actions

Multiattack.

When Corpse Riding, Death's Head makes three attacks: two slam attacks and one swarming cloud attack. When not Corpse Riding, Death's Headmakes two attacks; 1 bite attack and 1 swarming cloud attack.

Bite.

Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 0 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (1d4+8) piercing damage plus 13 (3d8) poison damage.In addition, creatures must succeed on a DC 17 Consitution save or be Poisoned for one minute. If a creature fails this save by 5 or more, they are also Stunned for 1 round. If a creature fails this save by 10 or more, they are also Paralyzed for 1 round.

Creatures that are resistant to poison damage have advantage on this save. Creatures who are immune to poison damage automatically succeed. Death's Head can only use this action when not Corpse Riding.

Slam.

Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (1d8+8) bludgeoning damage plus 13 (3d8) poison damage. In addition, creatures must succeed on a DC 17 Consitution save or be Poisoned for one minute. If a creature fails this save by 5 or more, they are also Stunned for 1 round. If a creature fails this save by 10 or more, they are also Paralyzed for 1 round.

Creatures that are resistant to poison damage have advantage on this save. Creatures who are immune to poison damage automatically succeed. Death's Head can only use this action when Corpse Riding

Swarming Cloud.

Ranged Spell Attack: +8 to hit, range 15/30 ft., 5ft radius circle. Hit: 13 (4d6) poison damage.

Corpse Riding.

Death's Head can only use this action when Corpse Riding. enters a mostly-intact humanoid corpse, infests and animates it. Death's Head can only use this action when Corpse Riding. regains a number of hit points equal to the humanoid's hit dice. The swarm can leave a corpse it is riding as bonus action, but loses hit points equal to that humanoid's hit dice.

Invisibility.

The swarm magically turns invisible until it attacks or casts a spell, or until its concentration ends (as if concentrating on a spell). The swarm cannot use this action while Corpse Riding

This insight gives Broken Bough Advantage on Deception checks when imitating a creature it has successfully used Root Around on.

Legendary Actions

Death's Head can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. Death's Head regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.

Clog Senses (1 point). Death's Head targets a creature it can see within 60ft and infests its face with biting, burrowing insects. The creature must succeed on a DC 15 Consitution save or be Blinded for 1 minute. An affected creature may repeat this save at the end of each of its turns, the Blinded effect ending on success.

Crush (2 points). Death's Head makes a slam or bite attack

Flutter (1 point). Death's Head makes a Flight movement.

Ghastly Hatching (2 points). Death's Head targets a corpse it can see within 30ft. The corpse explodes and 1d6 swarms of insects under its control. These swarms fight until Death's Head dies or for 10 minutes, whichever comes first. Death's Head cannot use this legendary action if it controls more 4 or more swarms of insects.