Astral Corruption

Astral Corruption is often the direct result of contact with an Astral Horror. These Astral Horrors were the cause of the Age of Horrors in Everall and are attracted to magic. High magic levels on the Material Plane will open up color pools on the Astral Plane that grant these Astral Horrors the ability to travel to the Material Plane or directly affect those on the Material Plane, depending on the Astral Horror's abilities. As the magic levels on the Material Plane drop, the most powerful Astral Horrors are unable to interact with the Material Plane. Eventually the color pool closes, thus allowing no further contact with the Material Plane until the magic levels become high enough once more.
During the Age of Horrors, the Astral Horrors corrupted the very magic that allows so many wonderous things to happen on Everall. Those who use it are at a constant risk of Astral Corruption. This has led to most citizens of Everall being extremely wary of any magic that does not come from a Divine source.

Transmission & Vectors

When a person encounters Astral Corruption, which may be from direct contact with an Astral Horror, direct contact with a place that has been previously tainted or corrupted by an Astral Horror, direct contact with an object or person that has been previously corrupted, or indirectly through the use of magic, that person must roll a Wisdom saving throw. If they fail, they receive 1 point of Astral Corruption and are considered Infected by Astral Corruption. Any further incidents of contact with Astral Corruption will need another Wisdom saving throw to see if the condition worsens.
When casting a spell, the person must roll a Wisdom saving throw above the Spell's level. The corruption level of the area that the spell is being cast acts a negative modifier to this roll. There are 4 stages of corruption for locations. If the caster fails the roll or rolls a Natural 1, they must add 1 point of Astral Corruption.

Location's Corrupted Level	Negative Modifier
Safe	0
Open	-3
Tainted	-5
Corrupted	-10

In addition to the above causes, a character may gain one corruption point whenever they:

• Commit an evil act such as murder, genocide, senseless violence, torture, maiming, war crimes, wanton destruction, willful impoverishing, or taking advantage of the weak and defenseless
• Use their abilities to harm others or remove their free will, including political power, economic advantage, religious influence, or magic
• Take possession of a cursed item, attune to a cursed item, or use a cursed item
• Casting dark, forbidden spells may increase a character's corruption level
• Sleeping in or near a place that has been corrupted and failing a Wisdom saving throw (DC based on how close to the corrupted place and what current level of character's corruption is at)
• Use of Corruption Abilities up to the max corruption score of current corruption stage. Use of Corruption abilities cannot force progression to the next stage.

A character may resist gaining a corruption point in these additional instances by making a successful DC 20 Wisdom saving throw.

Causes

Astral Corruption is ultimately caused by the Astral Horrors' effects on the world of Everall. Intelligent Horrors may use their powers to begin (mark) or further the current corruption level.

Horror Marks -

Nearly all of the intelligent Astral Horrors are able to mark a chosen target. A Horror Mark allows the Astral Horror to keep track of their victims across great distances and even communicate with them at will. This mark allows the Horror to use its powers against the victim without needing to be present. These marks can be maintained by the Horror for some time without the victim even being aware of the mark. The only way to remove a Horror Mark is to kill the Horror who caused it or at the very least to banish or contain it so that it cannot continue to exert it's influence. In the same way that an Astral Horror can mark an individual, they can mark locations and objects. These places become "cursed" and provide another way for the Horror to exert it's influence and extend it's power. Cursed places are often the result of a Horror making its lair in that location or exert it's influence over the area for an extended period of time. Travelers who visit these locations can expose themselves to the Horror's influence and potentially Astral Corruption.
If an Astral Horror is allowed to mark the target in some way, the Horror can use any of its powers on the victim if the victim is within 10 miles of the Horror with no restriction. Up to 100 miles the Horror may use powers that do not directly cause damage. The Horror may communicate with the victim up to 1,000 miles away. These marks are very difficult to detect. The person attempting to detect the mark, must make an Arcana check against the Horror's Wisdom Saving throw + the level of Astral Corruption of the area. If successful, the mark can be seen as a small stain upon the victim somewhere.

Corrupt Compromise-

The Horror may suggest a course of action to a victim they have marked, offering a bonus to one of the character's traits or abiltiies. If the victim follows the course of action in spirit, not just letter, the victim gains a Corruption Point, but the bonus becomes permanent. These bonuses apply to any circumstance, except actions against the marking Horror. If the marked victim does not follow the course of action with complete sincerity, the marking Horror gains a bonus to one of its own traits or powers when applied against the victim.

Corrupt Reality -

This power allows a Horror to distort the fabric of reality, affecting the area around a victim it has previously marked. The Astral Horror uses these effects to alarm and torment the victim and those in the nearby area. This tends to isolate the victim, further producing the negative emotional energy that the Astral Horrors feed on.
The Horror makes an Intelligence check and compares it to the Wisdom saving throw of each character the Horror seeks to affect. If successful, the target suffers -1 penalty to Wisdom and -1 penality to Charisma for each success.
Typical manifestations include spoiling food and drink, changes in temperature, eerie sounds, mundane objects transforming, or any number of other strange or surreal manifestations. These effects last for 1d20 minutes and cannot be dispelled or disbelieved, though the Horror may end them earlier if desired. An object transformed by this power returns to normal after the duration ends, with no trace of the change or permanent ill effect. This power cannot cause damage to living beings but the fear and mental stress resulting from extended exposure to this ability may cause a victim or those near him to lash out and harm themselves or others. For each instance of Corrupted Reality that a character experiences, roll a Wisdom saving throw. On a Natural 1, the victim adds 1 Corruption point.

Symptoms

The infected person must make a Wisdom saving throw each week to see if the condition progresses. On a Success, the condition does not advance. With three successes in a row, the character can remove 1 point of corruption. On a Failure, the character takes 1 point of corruption. On a Natural 20, the condition progression resets to before the character began showing symptoms (Stage 1). The Astral Corruption is still present and symptoms will reveal themselves again unless treatment is applied.

Stage 1 (1-5 points of Corruption) - Infected

An Infected person acquires the Temptation ability: A character may add their proficiency bonus to any one ability check, saving throw, or attack roll, including one that has already added a proficiency bonus. This may only be used once until a short rest is completed.
Some of the other symptoms that tend to occur at this Stage are listed below. Not all symptoms will affect all people who are infected. In addition, some symptoms may come and go while the person remains infected.

Physical Symptoms	Mental Symptoms
Slight Cough (Disadvantage on Dex/Stealth Checks)	Prone to Negative Emotions (Ex: Jealousy, Hatred)
	Poor Impulse Control
	Hallucinations (Disadvantage on Wisdom/Perception Checks if a Hallucination happened that day)
	Compulsive Behaviors
	Mildly Phobic (becomes afraid of a random creature type. During combate with one of these creatures, the character becomes frightened)

Stage 2 (6-10 point of Corruption) - Tainted

All of the symptoms of Stage 1 are possible plus a Tainted person gains the Desire ability: A character gains advantage on any one ability check, saving throw, or attack roll. If the roll already had advantage, the roll may be rerolled (with advantage again). If the roll should have had disadvantage, then do a standard roll. This may only be used once until a short rest is completed.
In addition to the symptoms from Stage 1, a person Tainted by Astral Corruption may exhibit any or all of the symptoms listed below:

Physical Symptoms	Mental Symptoms
Headaches	Horrifying Dreams & Night Terrors (Disadvantage on all Skill checks the next day)
Blurred Vision
Skin begins to have a grey tint
Bloodshot Eyes
Seeping Sores (Disadvantage on STR ability checks)

Stage 3 (11-15 points of Corruption) - Corrupted

All of the symptoms of Stage 1 & 2 are possible plus a Corrupted person gains the Wrath ability: A character may replace the result of any one of their ability checks, saving throws, or attack rolls with a 20 after they have seen the roll; it is not a natural 20. This may only be used once until a short rest is completed.
In addition to the symptoms from Stage 1 & 2, a person Corrupted by Astral Corruption may exhibit any or all of the symptoms listed below:

Physical Symptoms	Mental Symptoms
Signs of Emanciation	Vulnerable to Radiant Damage
Blacken Veins Visible	Difficulty Interacting in Society
Higher Risk of Illness and Disease
Withered Flesh - The person's skin is pulled tight against their bones, making them look truly terrfying. Disadvantage on Charisma ability checks and Charisma saving throws.

Stage 4 - Life Threatening (16 - 20 points of Corruption)

All of the symptoms of Stage 1 - 3 are possible plus all attacks made by a character at this level of Corruption add 1d8 psychic damage.  Movement also becomes incredibly painful.  During this stage, the character begins the process of becoming a Horror Construct. At each additional Corruption point, the victim must make another Wisdom saving throw (DC = current points of Corruption). If they fail, the Horror who has marked them is allowed to change one of the victim's attributes by 1 or grant the victim a power or ability.

Treatment

An Arcana check can be used in any of the stages to detect Astral Corruption.

Corruption Stage	DC to Detect with Arcana
Infected	20
Tainted	15
Corrupted	10
Life-Threatening	5

A Medicine check can be used in Stage 2, Stage 3, or Stage 4 to diagnosis Astral Corruption as the effects take on physical forms.

Corruption Stage	DC to Detect with Medicine
Infected	-
Tainted	15
Corrupted	10
Life-Threatening	5

Treatment Options:

• A character may remove 1 corruption point by performing a heroic and epic act of self sacrifice. Such circumstances are rare and usually fatal.
• Acts of good and redemption may lower corruption level by 1 point.
• If the corruption score does not increase for three weeks in a row, then 1 point of corruption is removed.
• Greater restoration can remove 1d4 point(s) of corruption if character's corruption level is 15 or lower.
• Lesser restoration can remove 1 point of corruption if character's corruption level is 5 or lower.
• Corruption can also be cured naturally by resting away from any source of corruption, at a rate of 1 corruption point per week of rest.
• According to local folklore, herbal remedies such as burning smudge sticks to block the Horror's link may reduce corruption level by 1 point.

Epidemiology

Anyone showing signs of Astral Corruption can spread the Corruption to others through direct contact.  Often, in the early stages of the condition, the symptoms are mental instead of physical so the corruption can spread throughout a civilized area before anyone knows the exact cause.  In addition, Astral Horrors may direct their influence and cause Astral Corruption to affect an area or object before anyone realizes they are under attack from a Horror.

Cultural Reception

The people of Everall have generations of fear of the Astral Horrors.  The Horrors have fed, harassed, and corrupted people of Everall since the Age of Horrors began.  Therefore, most people will have negative reactions to anyone showing signs of Astral Corruption.  The exceptions to this are some of the Clerics of the Gods, who tend to help people who have Astral Corruption.  
Culturally, bodies are burned that are thought to be affected by Astral Corruption so that the corruption cannot, therotically spread.  People who are showing symptoms of Astral Corruption are avoided, since Astral Corruption can spread through direct contact with someone who is corrupted.  Magic use is generally frowned upon, since it can cause Astral Corruption, and the fact that the Astral Horrors take advantage of magic to enter Everall.  Only magic from a Divine source is looked on favorably in most locations in Everall.

Type

Magical

Origin

Magical

Cycle

Chronic, Acquired