The skeleton is obviously missing the skull and spinal column, but it is the hundreds of beetles that capture your attention. As you look on they burst into motion as the swarm of beetles take flight for you.
Corpse Beetle Swarm
CR 5 N Tiny Magical beast (psionic, swarm) XP 1,600
Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; low-light vision; hive control; Perception +1
DEFENSE
AC 18, touch 18, flat-footed 14 (+3 Dex, +2 insight, +1 dodge,
+2 size)
hp 35 (5d10+10)
Fort +8, Ref +6, Will +7
Defensive Abilities
swarm traits, hive control
Weakness swarm traits
Offense
Speed 5 ft., fly 40 ft. (good);
Melee swarm (1d6 plus distraction DC 14)
Reach 0 ft.
Special Attacks
distraction (DC 14)
drag down (DC 16),
scrape id (DC 16)
Psi-Like Abilities (ML 5th; concentration +6)
At will – hustle, defensive precognition (+2, factored into the statistics above)*
Includes agumentation for the corpse beetle swarm’s manifester level
Statistics
Str 4, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 12
Base Atk +5; CMB —; CMD —
Feats
Ability Focus (drag down), Ability Focus (scrape id), Dodge
Skills
Fly +15
Ecology
Environment: any rural or urban, underground (if part of a hive)
Organization: solitary, horde (2-4), brood (1-3 plus skull thrasher), hive (1-3 plus 1-2 brain worms plus skull thrasher)
Treasure: None or standard (if part of a hive encounter)
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Hive Control (Su): A corpse beetle swarm has a strong psychic bond to the skull thrasher that hatched it. While within 2,000 feet of that skull thrasher, the corpse beetle swarm and skull thrasher may freely use each other’s senses as if their own. The corpse beetle swarm may use the skull thrasher’s Intelligence score in place of its own if doing so would be advantageous, and may make Knowledge checks using the skull thrasher’s skill ranks. The corpse beetle swarm still suffers from damage or penalties to its own Intelligence and falls into a coma as normal if its intelligence is reduced to 0 or less.
Within 100 feet of each other, the bond between the two strengthens; if either one is not surprised or flat-footed, neither is. The corpse beetle swarm may use the skull thrasher’s dimensional slide psi-like ability, though if using the ability transports the corpse beetle swarm more than 100 feet away from the skull thrasher, the bond subsides to its ordinary strength.
Drag Down (Ex): The corpse beetle swarm may use this ability as a standard action; when it does, all creatures that share its space must succeed at a Fortitude save (DC 16; the save DC is based on the corpse beetle swarm’s Constitution modifier) or lose all ability to fly for as long as they remain within the corpse beetle swarm’s space, and for one round thereafter. If this would cause the creature to fall, they do so in a gentle, controlled descent that deals no damage to them, and the corpse beetle swarm falls with them in the same manner. The corpse beetle loses all ability to fly for as long as the victims of its drag down ability remain within its space.
Scrape Id (Su): Corpse beetle swarms attack while emitting a subconscious psychic howl that claws at the terror centers of the brain, throwing off their prey and making them easier to harry and catch. Creatures damaged by the corpse beetle swarm’s swarm attack must succeed at a DC 16 Will save (the save DC is based on the corpse beetle swarm’s Charisma modifier) or suffer a surge of subconscious terror, which inflicts the shaken condition for 5 rounds. This is a mind-affecting, fear effect.
Corpse beetles are small, fur-covered beings that vaguely resemble insects. They hatch and move in swarms, flying on gossamer wings, seeking prey both living and dead unless under the control of a skull thrasher.
Corpse beetles are not often encountered outside of their hive if they were hatched by an experienced skull thrasher. Corpse beetles hatch from eggs implanted in the freshly dead bodies of sapient beings (typically harvested by the joint efforts of the skull thrasher and its attendant brain worms), growing to a lethal size within 24 hours. At that point, the beetles are ravenous and will consume any meat, living or dead, that is offered to them. A corpse beetle swarm will devour anything offered to it for about two weeks before forming a communal chrysalis, from which will eventually emerge a single brain worm.
Caught away from their skull thrasher, corpse beetle swarms are astonishingly aggressive but tactically very simple. They fly at low altitudes seeking corpses and living creatures, then proceed to attack without pity. Only if reduced to less than half its hit points will such an uncontrolled swarm attempt to retreat, and more often than not it will press the attack instead.
Under the hive’s control, however, corpse beetle swarms become clever and dangerous combatants. They prioritize their targets and cooperate with other members of the hive, luring prey into ambushes or executing tactical retreats when they realize that they are outmatched. Working in tandem with infected hosts, corpse beetle swarms will drag flying opponents to the ground where the hive can subdue them.