Rosá-Tinted Glasses
As a contaminated skeleton attacks civilians in the street, the characters must aid a grieving woman in protecting both the innocent and the skeleton until acolytes arrive. This encounter is designed for four 4th level characters.
Encounter Information
While walking through the streets close to the House of Convalescence, characters hear terrified screams from nearby. As the characters arrive at the scene, read or paraphrase the following:
Screams ring out as people scramble up trees or into houses. A gnome rushes at a skeleton, rope in hand, as a dark-haired young woman wraps her arms around it yelling “Mom! Stop! Help is coming!” The skeleton ignores her and slams into the gnome, knocking them out cold.
This combat takes place in a residential street which is 20 feet wide. Two-story semi-detached houses line the street, with 5-foot wide alleyways between them. Interspersed on alternating sides every 40 feet are 30-foot tall delonix regia trees.
Dangerous Grief
A contaminated skeleton (see stat block below) is rampaging through the street, attacking anyone who gets close, except for a woman—Rosá Alvera—attempting to hold it back, whom it ignores. Upon seeing the characters, Rosá rushes towards the characters and begs them drop their weapons and help her restrain her mother until city help arrives. Rosá is convinced to stand aside on a successful DC 14 Charisma (Deception or Persuasion) check but holds her action to protect the skeleton if the characters become violent.
Rosá Alvera
Rosá Alvera (human noble, she/her) is a third generation immigrant whose grandparents arrived as refugees from San Citlán. She has only occasionally visited San Citlán for the Night of the Remembered. Rosá has lost her grandparents and father to old age and, yesterday, her mother mysteriously died and immediately returned as a skeleton, which Rosá believes is an olvidado.
In her grief, Rosá is willfully ignorant to logic and doesn’t know the information in the “Los Olvidados y la Gente de San Citlán” sidebar. Characters who succeed on a DC 12 Intelligence (History or Religion) check or are from San Citlán know this information.
Contaminated Skeleton
After eating cursed food imported from the Tayyib Empire—a place known for its problems with the Undead— Rosá’s mother died, turning into a contaminated skeleton. The House of Convalescence is aware that Rosá’s mother isn’t the only one to succumb to this disease, which is beginning to spread rapidly through the Citadel’s population. The virus wants to spread, however skeletons retain enough memory to avoid harming loved ones.
Innocent Bystanders
The characters see five commoners frozen in fear within 30 feet of the skeleton, and understand they are stunned until an action is taken by another creature to rouse them. The skeleton uses its Contaminated Burst to convert one on its first turn. Once freed, the commoners Dash away on initiative count 1. If two or more commoners are turned into contaminated skeletons, two acolytes from the House of Convalescence and a Shieldbearer (knight) arrive and aid the characters.
Los Olvidados y la Gente de San Citlán
San Citlán’s denizens know olvidados look like skeletons and, though considered living, are Undead. Noone knows how or why they remain after The Night of the Remembered, but this is the only time olvidados are “reborn”.
Characters proficient in Arcana or Religion understand olvidados are unaffected by resurrection or similar magic. Theoretically a true resurrection or wish spell could bring an olvidado back to mortal life, however none have tried as people believe this will incur La Catrina’s wrath.
Conclusion
Following combat, representatives from the House of Convalescence appear (see “Innocent Bystanders” section) and take away any wounded or dead. An acolyte approaches the characters and explains information from the “Contaminated Skeleton” section. How the characters deal with the skeleton dictates Rosá’s response to them.
If Rosá’s mother is defeated nonlethally (e.g. knocked unconscious with nonlethal damage or restrained for two or more rounds) combat ends as help arrives. Rosá thanks the characters and reveals information from the “Rosá Alvera” section.
If the characters kill the skeleton, they must make a DC 15 group Charisma (Persuasion) check. On a success, Rosá reveals her story and asks them to escort her to the Night of the Remembered festival, which can segway into the “Fiend of Hollow Mine” adventure. On a failure, Rosá shuts down in grief and won’t speak to the characters.
Contaminated Skeleton
Medium Undead, Neutral Evil
- Armor Class
- 12
- Hit Points
- 42 (5d8 + 20)
- Speed
- 30ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 (+3) | 14 (+2) | 19 (+4) | 6 (−2) | 10 (0) | 5 (−3) |
- Skills
- Athletics +7
- Damage Vulnerabilities
- Bludgeoning, Fire
- Damage Immunities
- Poison
- Condition Immunities
- Exhaustion, Poisoned
- Senses
- darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
- Languages
- Understands all languages it knew in life but can’t speak.
- Challenge
- 3 (700 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2
Contaminated Puff. When the skeleton is hit with a melee weapon attack, all creatures within 5 feet of it must succeed on a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw or take 9 (2d8) necrotic damage.
Memory Fragment. The skeleton retains fragments of its memory from life and is nonhostile to creatures familiar to it until they do anything harmful to it.
Unusual Nature. The skeleton doesn’t require air, food, drink, or sleep.
Actions
Multiattack. The skeleton makes two slam attacks.
Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit 7 (1d8+3) bludgeoning damage.
If the skeleton successfully hits, it may make an opposed Strength (Athletics) check with the target. On a success, the target is restrained. The skeleton can’t have more than one target restrained at a time.
Contaminated Burst (Recharge 5-6). The skeleton releases a cloud of deadly spores in a 5-foot radius centered on itself. Creatures in the area must make a Constitution saving throw (DC 14). On a failure, they take 18 (4d8) necrotic damage or half as much on a success. A humanoid creature killed by this attack rises as a contaminated skeleton at the start of its next turn.
Encounters in the Radiant Citadel
This is a preview of Encounters in the Radiant Citadel which is out on the Dungeon Master’s Guild now!
Acknowledgements
Written by Taylor Narvarro
Special thanks to Luke Hipkiss and Anthony Joyce-Rivera for developmental feedback.
Playtested by: Gemma Navarro, Helena Leeper, Luke Hipkiss, Maddie Daniel, Richard Gladas, and River Daniel.