From the Conjunction of Spheres and the divine wars of ages past, a dark presence washed over the realms, corrupting the very lands and creatures within with this foul miasmic energy. Though this corruption has mostly faded, it returns like the rising of the tide, infusing the realm with its horrific effects each time. In the end, Corruption does not care whether that which it destroys is good or evil, living or dead, it only wishes to consume, to envelop everything in its darkness.
Though corruption destroys, endangering many, some have learned how to harness its power for their own ends. Drawing upon the dark and vile places of the land, from corrupted artifacts, or even from the very spheres of magic that have been touched by this foul energy, utilizing its energy to perform acts beyond their reality, though often at the danger of themselves and those around them.
Corruption Thresholds
A character’s Corruption Score acts as its own ability score, just like Strength or Intelligence. It has a Corruption modifier, that is equal to the Corruption Score, minus 10, divided by 2.
Corruption is bounded by its Corruption Threshold which determines how potent the corruption is in a given subject, as shown on the table below:
| Pure |
Mild (1) |
Moderate (3) |
Severe (5) |
Tainted (7) |
Vile (9) |
| 0 points |
1-3 points |
4-8 points |
9-14 points |
15-20 points |
21+ points |
Effects of Corruption
Corruption as a whole can derive a wide variety of effects, whether it is the blighting of the land, the decay of creatures, or the slow insidious twisting of one’s mind. Corruption acts slowly, seeping into that which it interacts with, only showing its presence when certain thresholds are met, forcing it out from hiding.
Corruption naturally impacts both the body and mind of living creatures, and has the following effects, with additional, unique effects, gained upon reaching certain Corruption Thresholds:
- Whenever you reach a new Corruption Threshold, you gain a new Corrupted Affliction with the severity of which being dependent on the tier of Corruption Threshold you’ve attained. This affliction remains until you are no longer at or above that Corruption Threshold. Alternatively, the GM may elect to choose the affliction, or apply a custom one for the given situation in which Corruption was attained.
- While at or above Mild Corruption, you gain the Temptation ability, as follows:
- Temptation: You can add your Corruption modifier (minimum 1) to any d20 roll you have just made. You can use this ability a number of times equal to 1 + your Corruption modifier, minimum once, regaining spent uses after completing a short or long rest.
- While at or above Moderate Corruption, you are considered to always have failed your first Death Saving Throw, and gain the Desire ability, as follows:
- Desire: You can choose to gain Advantage on any d20 check you are about to make; you must do so before you roll. You can use this ability a number of times equal to 1 + your Corruption modifier, minimum once, regaining spent uses after completing a short or long rest.
- While at or above Severe Corruption, your Constitution and Wisdom scores are reduced by your Corruption modifier, if positive. You’re alignment shifts one step towards evil, and cannot be shifted back so long as you are at this stage of Corruption, and you gain the Wrath ability, as follows:
- Wrath: You can choose to replace any d20 roll you’ve made with a natural 20, you can do this even after seeing the results of your roll. You can use this ability once, regaining spent uses after completing a short or long rest.
- While at or above Tainted Corruption, you are treated as an Evil Outsider (Fiend) for the purposes of negative effects that can impact you. You’re alignment shifts one step towards evil, and cannot be shifted back so long as you are at this stage of Corruption.
- A character that reaches Vile Corruption is consumed by the darkness and is immediately Retired. The character may die, or become lost to the corruption and becomes an NPC under the GMs control. A creature at this stage of Corruption cannot be brought back to life or restored to player control.
Corrupted Afflictions Table
| D8 |
Mild/Moderate Corruption |
Severe Corruption |
Tainted Corruption |
| 1 |
Hallucinations |
Seeping Sores |
Warped Spine |
| 2 |
Hoarder |
Bodily Decay |
Murderous |
| 3 |
Compulsive |
Distracted |
Withered Flesh |
| 4 |
Cough |
Jittery |
Paranoid |
| 5 |
Trusting |
Rotten Joints |
Mark of the Cursed |
| 6 |
Reckless |
Body Parasites |
Broken Will |
| 7 |
Scent of Decay |
Chronic Fatigue |
Eyes of Shadow |
| 8 |
Mildly Phobic |
Moderately Phobic |
Severely Phobic |
Corrupted Afflictions
- Bodily Decay: Your body has suffered greatly from the ravages of the corruption. You suffer Disadvantage on all Death Saving Throws that you must make.
- Body Parasites: Parasitic worms infest and writhe throughout your innards. Whenever you would regain Hit Points by spending Hit Dice, the amount of HP gained is halved.
- Broken Will: Your willpower has crumbled, leaving your mind vulnerable. You have Disadvantage on any Mind-Affecting saving throw that you must make. Should you already suffer Disadvantage, you instead suffer Absolute Disadvantage.
- Chronic Fatigue: Your body has difficulty with continuous physical activity. If you do not take a Short or Long Rest directly after a combat that lasted more than 1 minute, you suffer 1 point of Exhaustion.
- Compulsive: You begin to exhibit a mild, compulsive ritual of the GM’s choice. This can manifest as categorizing collected loot, or needing to thoroughly clean yourself after every challenge, for example. You take 1.5 times as long to complete a Short Rest.
- Cough: You develop an uncontrollable cough that creeps up every now and then. You have Disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks.
- Distracted: Your mind has grown scattered and easily clouded. You have Disadvantage on Intelligence ability checks.
- Eyes of Shadow: Your eyes grow jet black and empty, your pupils becoming small glowing points of green flame. You gain Darkvision out to 60 feet, but also gain Sunlight Sensitivity. You have Disadvantage on attack rolls and on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight when you, the target of your attack, or whatever you are trying to perceive is in direct sunlight.
- Jittery: You become far too easy to spook or startle. You have Disadvantage on Initiative rolls that you make.
- Hallucinations: Strange visions and sourceless whispers occasionally tug at your perception. You have Disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks.
- Hoarder: You are compelled to collect anything and everything of mild value you can. Simple trinkets stumbled across must be gathered and carried, if able, until at carrying capacity.
- Mark of the Cursed: A black curse on your very soul resists divine energies. Whenever you would regain Hit Points from a Magical (Ma) source, the amount you are healed by is halved.
- Mildly Phobic: You acquire a mild fear of a certain creature type of the GM’s choice. During the first round of combat with a creature of the chosen type, you are Frightened.
- Moderately Phobic: You acquire a moderate fear of a certain creature type of the GM’s choice. When you enter combat with a creature of the chosen type, you must make a Wisdom saving throw (DC 10 + your Corruption points) or become Frightened of that creature for 1 minute.
- Murderous: You suffer irresistible murderous urges at the sight of the helpless. If any creature you can see is Incapacitated (friend or foe), you must spend your turn moving directly toward that creature and attacking it, if possible, unless you succeed on a Wisdom saving throw, DC equal to 10 + your current Corruption.
- Paranoid: You no longer trust even your closest allies. You no longer count as a “friendly” creature to anyone, nor does anyone count you as a “friendly” creature to you, in regards to abilities or spells. The only creature your beneficial spells and abilities can target is yourself.
- Reckless: You’ve become impulsive in the face of dangerous situations. The first attack made against you in any combat encounter has Advantage on the attack roll.
- Rotten Joints: Your joints begin to suffer from internal decay and degeneration. You have Disadvantage on Dexterity ability checks.
- Scent of Death: Your body has begun to emit a terrible stench of rotting flesh. You have Disadvantage on Charisma (Persuasion) checks.
- Seeping Sores: Painful sores cover your body, making it difficult to exhibit all of your strength. You have Disadvantage on Strength ability checks.
- Severely Phobic: You acquire a moderate fear of a certain creature type of the GM’s choice. When you enter combat with a creature of the chosen type, you immediately become Frightened of the creature for 1 minute, and must make a Wisdom saving throw (DC 10 + your Corruption points) or become Cowering of that creature for 1 minute. You can repeat this save to end the Cowering effect early at the end of each of your turns.
- Trusting: You become too eager to accept others at face value. You have Disadvantage on Wisdom (Insight) checks.
- Warped Spine: Your spine has become twisted and hunched. You have Disadvantage on Dexterity ability checks and Dexterity saving throws.
- Withered Flesh: Your flesh has pulled tight against your skeleton, making your visage terrifying to most. You have Disadvantage on Charisma ability checks and Charisma saving throws, except for those made to Intimidate.
Gaining and Curing Corruption
A character can gain Corruption in a variety of ways, the most common of which is through using Corruptive magics or relics, or by resting nearby Corruptive locations.
Corruptive Locations
Whenever you would complete a Long Rest near a source of strong, vile or deeply corruptive magic or corruptive energy, you must make a Charisma saving throw. The DC of this save is shown on the table given below based upon the proximity and strength of the corruption at the given location. On a failure, you gain a number of Corruption points equal to the Corruption modifier of the location or 1, whichever is greater.
| Distance |
Pure |
Mild |
Moderate |
Severe |
Tainted |
Vile |
| Within 5 miles |
-- |
8 |
10 |
12 |
15 |
18 |
| Within 1 mile |
-- |
10 |
12 |
15 |
18 |
22 |
| Within 500 feet |
-- |
12 |
14 |
18 |
22 |
26 |
Corruptive Magic
Whenever a creature would cast a corruption spell, they must make a Charisma saving throw, against a DC of 10 + double spell level cast, or gain a number of Corruption points equal to the level of the spell.
Alternative Methods of Corruption
A creature may gain corruption through other methods, often through the use of Corrupted Artifacts, corrupted creatures attacks, or corruptive acts, in these cases, the save DC, if any, and amount of Corruption points gained on a failed save are subject to GM discretion.
Curing Corruption
Magic: Certain spells can cure Corruption, with the level of the spell indicating the Threshold level that it can impact, as shown by the number in parenthesis on the Corruption Thresholds table. The most common spells that can cure Corruption are as follows, though other spells may exist:
- Heal: Spellcasting Ability modifier in Corruption Points
- Miracle or Wish: Half of the Corruption afflicting the creature.
- Remove Curse or Disease: 1 point.
- Lesser Restoration: 1 point.
- Greater Restoration: 2 points.
Recovery: A creature that is Moderate or lower Corruption cures Corruption at the rate of 1 Corruption per Recuperating downtime action spent. A creature of higher Corruption, cannot cure Corruption in this way.
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