The Dance Macabre- Out of the Box D&D Encounters #5
June 3, 2016
Introduction:
Many times, the hardest thing to do is getting started. Many DMs will have awesome ideas on what to 
do later in a campaign, or even later in a dungeon crawl, but struggle with a starting point. I’ll often see a campaign in reverse. I see where I want it to end, or what a final encounter will look like, then write encounters like movie scenes to guide players in the direction of that end scene.
do later in a campaign, or even later in a dungeon crawl, but struggle with a starting point. I’ll often see a campaign in reverse. I see where I want it to end, or what a final encounter will look like, then write encounters like movie scenes to guide players in the direction of that end scene. The first encounter, or start point, is often the sticking point.
That’s where “The Dance Macabre” comes in. It’s vague enough to be the entry level to a dungeon, and has non-combat skill checks that hint at something more. It could be used as a stand-alone encounter, an adventure hook, a start point for a dungeon crawl, or whatever a DM wants.
With that, I present you with “Out of The Box #5: The Dance Macabre”
“The Dance Macabre”
Environment: Wilderness/Dungeon
Suggested level: 2-3
In a clearing obviously made for a massive structure, the players encounter an old ruin. It’s ringed by barbed hedges to a height of six to eight feet, obviously from a lack of care. A series of arbors, choked with nettles and vines, lead through the hedge in a curving path, exposing the ruins beyond.
Its many walls, towers and other structures have crumbled to rubble – all save one example. The remains of the columns and buttresses that supported a massive great hall still remain, with it’s vast decorative tiled floor mostly intact. Beyond it the former grandeur of a noble’s castle lay in piles of broken walls, toppled towers, and other debris. Much of what debris should be there seems gone. (History, Investigation, or even an Intelligence check, DC:12, will reveal that this practice is not uncommon. Scavengers will often raid ruined buildings for materials to be used elsewhere.)
What will come as a surprise is that these ruins are not unoccupied. Figures in formal clothing dance 
endlessly to the eerie lack of music – like an eternal waltz in silence.
endlessly to the eerie lack of music – like an eternal waltz in silence. Even as the characters advance, the figures remain dancing, seemingly oblivious to their approach. When they close to within 50’ they can finally ascertain (Perception: 12) that the finery worn by the figures are in poor repair, and in some cases, tatters.
Should the characters wish to really test their knowledge about either the setting, location , or even this activity, you might optionally allow the characters a Difficult (DC:17) History, Religion, or Arcana skill check to know some or all of the following:
The former Lord and Lady of this castle dabbled in dark necromancy, and held great celebrations and grand balls to lure unsuspecting victims into their lair. During the height of the celebration, a victim would be lured away to a hidden chamber and sacrificed to Orcus. Over time, their machinations were discovered and the surrounding peoples allied to destroy the Lord and his holdings. Now, ages later, his victims have animated to continue the dance where they died – a tortured reminder of the vast power of the Demon Lord.
What happens next is up to the player characters. If any character steps upon the dance floor, it is subjected to “Otto’s Irresistible Dance” (p.264 Player’s Handbook. DC:14 Wisdom save. Duration 1 minute. Save ends.).
Within the finery are Skeletons, who will attack those who step upon the floor, whether they are affected by the Dance or not. The Skeletons do not discern if a character is under the affect of the Dance or not, nor do they care. If you need to determine between a number of characters whom is attacked, determine randomly.
If the players retreat beyond the hedge, the Skeletons will not pursue beyond the thorny barrier, as if held back by the curse that animates their remains. However, should a character continue to attack the undead while retreating, in effect taunting them through the hedge, then the undead that are being 
attacked will pursue as long as they are being damaged.
attacked will pursue as long as they are being damaged. Once the players are on the other side of the hedge, any remaining skeletons cannot effectively be attacked by normal ranged weapons through the hedge, and trying to lob projectiles over the hedge will prove ineffective. The hedge is green, and so does not burn readily. However, a truly committed effort to burn the hedge might work at the DMs discretion…although not really to much effect, as the thorny remains will still be difficult to pass though.
Monsters:
Skeletons (10): p. 272 of the Monster Manual, or p. 310 of the Player’s Handbook, and depending on “Complications” below, perhaps a Zombie or two (P. 316 of the Monster Manual or p. 311 of the Player’s Handbook)
Complications:
While under the influence of the Dance, a character is at Disadvantage for all of it’s attack rolls and saving throws, and can be attacked with Advantage.
If a character is knocked unconscious upon the dance floor, the skeletons will ignore it and move on another target.
If a character is killed on the dance floor and left there, it will animate as a Zombie in 24 hours, and continue to dance like the others. It may be that some of the original dancers seen on the dance floor have been here long enough to rot from Zombies to Skeletons.
The hedge itself presents a number of problems, as it’s tangled, thorny nature will be at least difficult terrain to try and past through, and will require at least a DC:15 Strength check to force through. Doing so will inflict 1d4 Piercing damage.
Optionally, among the ruins, the DM can place a hidden entrance to the catacombs or other hidden chambers of the castle. The Dance Macabre is but the ground floor of this possible dungeon.
A DM might even wish to have the stones that have been removed carry the taint of the curse that was inflicted upon this particular castle, making it necessary for the players to hunt down the cursed stones before the curse spreads to other homes, creating a plague of dancing skeletons and zombies. In that regard, the Dance Macabre becomes a start point for a campaign to end the spread of an Orcus-related curse.
In any regard, I hope that The Dance Macabre inspires other start points for your campaign or adventures. If not, it can still stand alone as an encounter in the wilderness that stands apart from bandit camps and orc war bands. Enjoy!
– Mike Gould
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Elaine Cousins
April 9, 2024 at 9:14 amThank you for this super idea. For a working full time DM, I sometimes need a simple insert when planning time is short and this fits into my world perfectly as Orcus is already a thing! I also love the fact that if they leave the dancers alone, it is completely non combat (no chance of that happening though) 😀
I’m going to buff the zombies as my party is higher level but apart from that it’s just right. Thanks again.