Medusa Head, Burning

This humanoid head floats silently and ominously, bits of flesh still hanging from its face and graying teeth clattering slightly as it bobs in the air.

Burning Medusa Head CR 4

XP 1,200
NE Small undead
Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +0

DEFENSE

AC 15, touch 12, flat-footed 14 (+1 Dex, +3 natural, +1 size)
hp 30 (4d8+12)
Fort +3, Ref +2, Will +4
Immune undead traits

OFFENSE

Speed fly 40 ft. (perfect)
Melee bite +6 (1d4+2 plus burn, petrifying bite)
Special Attacks burning

STATISTICS

Str 14, Dex 12, Con –, Int –, Wis 11, Cha 15
Base Atk +3; CMB +4; CMD 15 (can’t be tripped)
Feats Flyby Attack^B
Languages common

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Burning (Ex)

This beheaded is similar to the flaming skull; however, the fire not only surrounds the skull, but can pass on to those it attacks. The fire that consumes the head can be any color the animator chooses, though blue is one of the most common. A burning skull gains the burn (1d6) special ability when using its slam attack, where the Reflex save DC is 10 + 1/2 the burning skull’s racial HD + the burning skull’s Cha modifier.

Petrifying Bite (Su)

Creatures bitten by a medusa head must make a DC 14 Fortitude save or turn to stone for 1d4 rounds. Targets immune to poison are immune to this effect. The save DC is Charisma-based.

ECOLOGY

Environment any
Organization solitary, pair, or trio
Treasure none

Beheaded are floating skulls or severed heads whose bodies have long since abandoned them, either in the moment of death or long after. Reanimated via dark magic, these horrors are usually created as mindless sentinels for dungeons or lairs. Beheaded silently hover at about eye-level, often making them the last thing a casual wanderer or careless villager in an infested area ever sees.