Cursed One

The onset of the Red Curse always causes the loss of ability score points, and in some cases, cinnabryl cannot be found in time to stop this loss after the first point. When any of a person’s ability scores is lowered to 0, that person dies. If special measures are not taken, that person will rise again as a cursed one. Cursed ones always seek out the substance that could have saved their lives: cinnabryl.

A cursed one appears insubstantial – a faint, reddish, skeletal silhouette within a translucent red specter. The creature’s eyes are gaping pools of darkness, while its body gives off a faint red glow, making it appear more evil than it actually is.

The Red Curse: Though cursed ones never acquire Legacies, they must constantly search for cinnabryl, which can temporarily relieve their pain.

Combat: Only magical weapons can effectively strike a cursed one. These undead creatures can detect both cinnabryl and red steel within 10 yards. Though they hunt cinnabryl, they are visibly frightened of red steel. Only red steel can permanently kill a cursed one. A cursed one destroyed by anything other than a red steel weapon reforms after 24 hours.

When it detects cinnabryl, a cursed one rushes forward to attack. A cursed one can absorb cinnabryl by simply assaulting someone wearing it and overlapping the body of the target with its own insubstantial essence. This requires a normal attack roll against the victim’s AC (with no armor adjustments). A cursed one cannot drain cinnabryl from a person wearing red steel armor.

If a cursed one’s attack is successful, simultaneous hot and cold sensations flood the victim’s body, sapping 1d8 hit points. In addition, a successful attack allows the undead creature to deplete some of the victim’s cinnabryl, one ounce (one week’s worth) for each successful hit. If the victim has less than one ounce left, the victim suffers an appropriate number of days of the Time of Loss and Change. (If the cursed one hits a character with only a two-day’s supply of cinnabryl, the victim suffers five days worth of the Time of Loss and Change). A cursed one stops only when no cinnabryl is left nearby.

Cursed ones are immune to sleep, charm, and hold spells, all Legacies, and all mind-affecting attacks.

Habitat/Society: A cursed one leads a lonely existence, suffering constant pain that can be relieved only for a few fleeting moments by cinnabryl.

These undead creatures are not confined to their place of origin, but roam free. They wander mostly at night but can move around in darkened areas by day. In sunlight, cursed ones are completely powerless and immobile; however, sunlight also makes them invisible. If the sun’s rays touch them, cursed ones freeze in place until the sun sets. A cursed one generally travels as far as possible from the area of its demise to escape painful memories.

Besides feeding cinnabryl to a cursed one, a temporary and rather foolish option, nothing can be done to help the creature. To prevent the rise of a cursed one, one ounce of cinnabryl must be buried with the remains of anyone who dies from the attribute point loss brought on by the Red Curse.

Cursed ones are also sometimes created by the touch of an Inheritor lich. Perhaps due to their link to the Red Curse, cursed ones cannot harm Inheritor liches in any way.

Ecology: Unlike other undead, cursed ones do have some effect on the ecology. They uselessly deplete cinnabryl, keeping it from those who could be helped by it.