Cursed One
by Jamie BatySCMC
Medium Undead (Incorporeal)
Hit Dice: 6d12+3 (42 hp)
Initiative: +4 (+4 Dex)
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), fly 40 ft. (average)
Armour Class: 18 (+4 Dex, +4 deflection), touch 18, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+3
Attack: Incorporeal Touch +7 melee (1d8 plus cinnabryl drain)
Full Attack: Incorporeal Touch +7 melee (1d8 plus cinnabryl drain)
Space/Reach: 5 ft. /5 ft.
Special Attacks: Cinnabryl drain
Special Qualities: Damage reduction 10/red steel, darkvision 60ft., daylight powerlessness, detect cinnabryl and red steel, red steel vulnerability, rejuvenation, spell resistance 16, undead traits
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +6, Will +4
Abilities: Str -, Dex 19, Con -, Int 7, Wis 8, Cha 18
Skills: Listen +7, Search +4, Spot +7
Feats: Alertness, Toughness, Weapon Finesse
Environment: Any land
Organisation: Solitary, or Gang (2-5)
Challenge Rating: 4
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always chaotic neutral
Advancement: 7-12 HD (Medium); 13-18 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: -
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 a person dies as a result of the Red Curse, they will rise again as a cursed one if special measures are not taken. 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 spectre. 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.
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.
Combat
A cursed one ignores anything that does not have cinnabryl. When it detects cinnabryl, a cursed one rushes forward to attack. Once a victim is drained of cinnabryl, the cursed one will attack the next closest source of cinnabryl.
Cinnabryl Drain (Su): Each successful attack by the cursed one 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). This drain can only be negated if the victim is wearing red steel armour.
Damage Reduction (Su): A cursed one has damage reduction of 10/red steel.
Daylight Powerlessness (Ex): Cursed Ones are utterly powerless in natural sunlight (not merely a daylight spell) and flee from it. If caught in sunlight, the cursed one is frozen in place and become invisible until the sun sets.
Detect Cinnabryl and Red Steel (Sp): A cursed one can detect even the slightest amounts of cinnabryl and red steel within 30ft. This ability functions continuously, but otherwise it functions in a similar manner as detect magic.
Red Steel Vulnerability (Ex): Cursed ones' are very vulnerable to red steel. For the purposes of affecting an incorporeal creature, a red steel weapon is treated as magical when fighting a cursed one, whether or not it is actually enchanted. Additionally, red steel weapons give the wielder a +2 bonus to attacks and damage against the cursed one and red steel does not have a chance to miss because of the cursed one's incorporeality. Red steel weapons are the only way to permanently kill a cursed one.
Rejuvenation (Su): In most cases, it's difficult to destroy a cursed one through simple combat: The "destroyed" creature will often restore itself within 24 hours. Even the most powerful spells are usually only temporary solutions. A cursed one that would otherwise be destroyed returns to its old haunts with a successful level check (1d20 + cursed one's HD) against DC 12. The only way to permanently kill a cursed one is by having 50% or more damage inflicted on it (as well as the deathblow) come from a red steel weapon.
Incorporeal Subtype: Can be harmed only by other incorporeal creatures, +1 or better magic weapons, or magic, with a 50% chance to ignore any damage from a corporeal source. Can pass through solid objects at will, and own attacks pass through armour. Always moves silently. Please see the 3.5E Monster Manual for additional information on incorporeal traits.
Undead Traits: Immune to mind-influencing effects, poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning, disease, death effects, necromantic effects, and any effect that requires a fortitude save unless it also works on objects. Not subject to critical hits, subdual damage, ability damage, ability drain, energy drain, or death from massive damage. It cannot be raised, and resurrection works only if it is willing. The creature has darkvision 60 ft. unless otherwise noted.