Contamination within the ruins of Drakkenheim is a major risk. Countless adventurers have fallen prey to its debilitating effects.
Characters exploring Drakkenheim may be exposed to eldritch pollutants within the Haze or arcane radiation emitted by delerium. These hazards cause a new condition called contamination, which inflicts both debilitating symptoms and otherworldly mutations.
Contamination is measured in six levels. An effect can give a creature one or more levels of contamination, as specified in the effect’s description. If an already contaminated creature suffers another effect that causes further contamination, its current level of contamination increases by the amount specified in the effect’s description.
In addition, each time a character finishes a long rest while they have one or more contamination levels, roll 1d20. On a 1, they gain a contamination level. Upon reaching contamination level 6 or higher, the creature transforms into a Monster!
A contaminated creature suffers the symptoms from its current level as well as all lower levels
Level | Symptoms |
|---|---|
1 | None |
2 | Hit points regained by expending hit dice halved |
3 | No hit points regained at end of a long rest |
4 | Damage dealt by weapon attacks and spells halved |
5 | Incapacitated |
6 | Monstrous Transformation |
When a humanoid creature with any contamination levels dies, it animates as a haze husk 24 hours later. A creature with six or more class levels or hit dice rises as a haze wight instead. Being raised from the dead reduces a creature’s contamination level by one
A creature who reaches contamination level 6 or higher triggers a transformation into a horrific monster controlled by the Game Master. The GM determines what remains of the original creature’s personality and memories, if anything. Regardless, the creature is invariably driven mad by the transformation and falls under the GM’s control
In addition to suffering symptoms, each time a character gains a contamination level, it rolls 1d6. If the result is equal to or less than the character’s current contamination level the creature gains a mutation. The Game Master may choose the mutation, or determine it randomly
Only specific magic can remove contamination levels. Creatures do not recover naturally. The Purge Contamination spell (a new spell for this setting) can remove contamination but leaves characters exhausted. At the campaign start, only faction agents know this spell, so cooperation with faction members is key.
The means of reversing a monstrous transformation are completely unknown at the outset of the campaign. A monstrous transformation is widely regarded as permanent, though many still search the ruins for answers