Hybrid Horrors

These are the many monsters that have ended the lives of parties or enriched their coffers in my many campaigns. This first one is a mashup of two of my favorite classics - The Skeleton and the Snake Bodied Medusa. She is a nasty one and makes for a great end boss type villain.

Skeletal Medusa

Frequency : Very Rare
No Appearing : 1
% in Lair : 90%
Hit Dice : 9
Armor Class : 3 (2 or less with shield)
Alignment : Neutral Evil
Move : 9" Slither
Attacks per Round : gaze, 2 claws, bite, tailslap, constriction or weapon
Damage : Gaze causes Paralysis
    2-8 Plus Mystic Poison Snake Bites
    1-6 Bony Claw
    1-8 Bony Tailslap
    1-4 Constriction (Str 17)
    or By Weapon (Str 17 plus magic bonus)
Intelligence : Average to Above Average
Size : L (14 feet long)
Special Attacks : gaze , constriction , poison
Special Defenses : minimum damage from piercing weapons, half damage from edged weapons, immune to Mind Spells, Undead , immune to gaze attacks
Magic Resistance : Saves as 8th level Cleric
Climate : Any (Ruins)
Treasure Type : A
Experience : 3,500 +10/hp , Stone Skeletons 250 exp each

Description :
    The Skeletal Medusa is a very rare occurrence, when a snake bodied medusa is killed or defeated by skeletons or the like a horrible transformative process occurs , as the curse that produces the Medusa is warped by the energies of the negative material plane.  The result is this horror.  The Skeletal Medusa is a self aware undead with a hatred of everything.  The skeletal medusa is frequently armed (50%) with a magical weapon which they wield with surprising strength (17) there is also a 25% they will have a magical or normal shield (25% magical) with the appropriate AC bonus.  Skeletal Medusae have lost their true curse power, but instead have an even more terrible power - the gaze of the skeletal medusae causes permanent paralysis as long as the medusae lives, when the victim dies they will arise as stone skeletons , skeleton who cannot be turned as long as the medusa exists.  Any victim meeting the gaze of the medusa who lives must save vs Petrification or be paralyzed.  The range of this power is 24" under most circumstances.  The power may only affect targets within her forward viewing arc (60 degrees) and rolls to hit vs AC 10 against targets not taking precautions, those using mirrors or shielding their eyes may be hit with more difficulty.  A foe using a mirror to observe is hit on AC 3, one merely shielding their eyes or averting gaze on AC 5.

    Skeletal Medusae attack in melee' by using a weapon, 2 claws (1 if using a shield), slapping with their bony tails or by grabbing and squeezing victims to death with their nearly prehensile snake like tails.  They will always attack Paladins and clerics if they are available.

    A normal skeletal medusa is served by 3d6 skeletons.  Skeletal Medusae are turned as Vampires, if the Medusa is turned the stone skeletons are turned as well.  The Stone Skeletons are AC 3, HD 1, HP 8.  Stone Skeletons are immune to Holy Water as well as turning.

The image that inspired this horror
http://www.elfwood.com/~hender/Undead-Medusa-%28inked%29.2795600.html