OD&D Witherlings questions

[wicked cool]

these questions are totally inspired by the nolzur miniature line because as of yesterday i was barely familiar with them

where does a witherling rank in the undead hierarchy? are they a step above zombies and skeletons but below ghouls?

the monster text talks about intelligence that they can only use clubs but hunt with other gnolls? Can they use a torch to burn down a building like their kin? the bigger ones make a high piercing scream but what about regular ones (do they communicate)? i assume that other undead would see them as undead and not attack?

 

[Faolyn]

Gnolls are Int 6, smart enough to use bows and set fire to things, although they are less intelligent than either giant apes or giant elks. Witherlings are Int 5, on par with ogres. So... they can probably use bows and set fire to things, but would likely require direction to do so--they wouldn't necessarily think to do it on their own, and they probably wouldn't be very good at it.

Witherlings can understand Gnoll but can't speak.

I don't think undead automatically don't attack other undead. It's just that those undead that need to eat (either flesh, blood, or life force) need to feed on the living, so there's no real need to attack other undead. Unless there's too many undead and not enough living to support them all, in which case they'd be fighting for food.

 

[wicked cool]

thanks