Volcanic Skeleton (Basic Lore)

Volcanic Skeleton (CR 19)
Pure Evil - Medium - Undead
Like most Skeletons, the Volcanic Skeleton is a bitter enemy of All Life. Like a discouraging number of more potent Skeletons, this flaming horror is uncomfortably aware. Volcanic Skeletons are sentient. If you look into the flames in their skulls that serve as eyes, there is absolutely some terrible, agonized, murderous presence looking back. Volcanic Skeletons are magically imbued with elemental fire and volcanic ash and gases during their creation, a process which involves the ritual sacrifice of a living humanoid into a volcano. For the sort of foul necromancers that can create a Volcanic Skeleton, tossing living sentient beings into hideous agony is of little concern. Volcanic Skeletons wade from their birthplace filled with agony and outrage, and always have fire around their skulls, like some mockery of hair, blowing in the wind. They are heavily encrusted with black volcanic rock, the lava which killed them, still glowing in places with hectic fury. While in combat, Volcanic Skeletons are completely enshrouded in flames, their dry, charred bones cracking under their layer of congealed magma, as marrow boils. Their curse of immortality prevents the fire from debilitating them. Volcanic Skeletons, like most skeletons with minds, are not the person they were in life. No, something else, some murderous dark spirit of death and malice, is the driving intelligence of the Volcanic Skeleton, and almost the only constant of their existence is their desire to kill every living thing they can find. Volcanic Skeletons are not warriors, unlike many of their bony kin. Volcanic Skeletons are not devious combatants or skilled at maneuver and melee. But Volcanic Skeletons do not feel that lack, as they more than make up for it with sheer destructive flame. Volcanic Skeletons can and will work with other skeletons, but they are there for the massive firepower they can grant, not any martial skill.