Raised from the dead or mortally wounded on the battlefield, whether it be a recent battle or an ancient one, Skeletons are loyal to the magi who reanimated them. Only extremely powerful casters or magically imbued weapons can raise the dead around them to fight on their side. Since they have no brains, skeletons are impossible to reason with and will only take commands magically given to them by the caster that raised them. The power of skeletons varies widely and is dependent on the power of the magic used to create them. Although they wear no armor, the exposed bones are imbued with magical properties that strengthen them more than any amount of milk could naturally. Even when Malakor led adventures through the woods, the skeletons there would take 2, 3, or 4 strikes of a common sword to crumble. Skeletons can sometimes reform and rise again. Only by dispelling the magic on their corpse or by the skeleton completing their order will they return to their lifeless form.