# Intro Caused by creatures, [[delerium]], and other magical phenomena in Drakkenheim. Abilities, equipment, and spells that protect against diseases, magic, or poisons do not work against contamination. It cannot be healed naturally, nor readily removed with low-level spells. ![[Mutations.png|300]] # Details 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 as described in the [[#Monsterous Transformation]] section. ## Contamination Symptoms A contaminated creature suffers the symptoms from its current level as well as all lower levels. (see also [[#Mutation]]) | Level | Symptoms | | | -------- | ---------------------------------------------------- | --- | | <b>1</b> | None | | | <b>2</b> | Hit points regained by expending hit dice are halved | | | <b>3</b> | No hit points regained at the end of a long rest | | | <b>4</b> | Damage dealt by weapon attacks and spells are halved | | | <b>5</b> | [[Incapacitated]] | | | **6** | Monsterous Transformation! | | ^Symptoms ## Mutation 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 by rolling 1d20 on the [[#Mutation]] Table. If the result is the same as a [[#mutation]] affecting the creature currently, the GM chooses a different one or rolls again. | (1d20) | Mutations | | | ------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | --- | | 1 | **Rampant Mutation!** Roll twice, ignoring this result on subsequent rolls. | | | 2 | **Rasping** Your vocal cords warp, and you may only speak in a halting gurgle. If you have 4 or more contamination levels, your tongue rots and falls out, and you can no longer speak. | | | 3 | **Wasting** Your fingernails, teeth and toenails start falling out. 2d6 fall out for each contamination level you have gained. | | | 4 | **Rotting** %%Your lips, nose, and ears blacken and wither. If you reach 4 or more contamination levels, they rot and fall off. You can still speak and hear however. %% | | | 5 | **Molting** Painful blisters, welts and multicoloured lesions appear all over your skin, which burst and peel off painfully, exposing the raw sinew underneath. Once you reach 4 contamination levels, your skin entirely sloughs off. %% | | | 6 | **Shedding** %%Each time you gain a contamination level, some of your hair falls out in patches. Once you reach 4 or more contamination levels, all hair on your body completely falls outs. | | | 7 | **Lambent Glow** %%You emit a dim octarine glow to a range of 10 feet. If you have 4 or more contamination levels, you instead emit bright light to a range of 30 feet.%% | | | 8 | **Occular Tumors** %%An eyeball opens somewhere on your body for each contamination level you have gained. If you have 4 or more contamination levels, you can see in all directions. %% | | | 9 | **Spked Growths** %%At the start of each of your turns, you deal 5 (1d10) piercing damge to any creature you are grappling.%% | | | 10 | **Aquatic Adaption** %%You sprout fish-like fins and gills. you gain a swimming speed equal to your land spped and can breathe underwater. If you have 4 or more contamination levels, you can only breathe underwater, but can hold your breath outside water for up to an hour.%% | | | 11 | **Amorphous form** %%Your bones and organs become gelatinous. You can move through a space as narrow as 6 inces without squeezing. %% | | | 12 | **Chitonous Skin** %%Shell-like growths appear all over your body, giving you a +1 bonus to AC. If you have four or more contamination levels, this bonus increases to +2%% | | | 13 | **Cyclopean Vision** Your eyes merge into a single central eye which can emit an energy beam as a ranged spell attack using your Intelligence modifier for the attack roll. if it hits, it deals 2d6 radiant damage. | | | 14 | **Spatial Displacement** %%You can cast [[misty step]] once for each contamination level you have gained. You regain these uses when you finish a long rest. %% | | | 15 | **Tentacled Limb** One of your arms becomes a fleshy tentacle. When you make a melee attack on your turn, increase your reach by 5 feet. | | | 16 | **Spider climb** %%You gain a climb speed equal to your walking spee. You can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make [[Ability Checks]]. %% | | | 17 | **Whispering Voices** %%You gain telepathy to a range of 10 feet, but other people hear it as their own voice. if you have 4 or more contamination levels, the range extends to 60 feet.%% | | | 18 | **Belly Maw** %%A toothy mouth appears on your stomach, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with it, you dal piercing damge equal to 1d6 + your strength modifier.%% | | | 19 | **Eyeless Sight** %%Your eyes become milky orbs, and you gain blindsight to a range of 10 feet. If you have 4 or more contamination levels, you r eyes rot otu, and dim octarien light burns in the sockets. your blindsight increases to 30 feet, but you are blind beyond this radius.%% | | | 20 | **Arcane Blood** %%Gain an additional spell slot of the highest level you can cast (to a maximum of 5th level). If you don't have spell slots, your hit point maximum increases by an amount equal to your level. Double with 4 or more contamination levels. %% | | ^Mutations ![[Contamination.png|600]] ## Removing Contamination Only specific magic can remove [[contamination]] levels. Creatures do not recover naturally. %% T[](Purge%20Contamination.md)n]] spell can remove [[contamination]], but it leaves affected characters exhausted. A [[heal]] spell removes all [[contamination]] levels and [[#Mutation]]s from a contaminated character. %% An effect which removes a [[contamination]] level also removes one randomly determined [[#Mutation]]. All [[contamination]] symptoms end and all [[#Mutation]] are removed if a creature’s [[contamination]] level is reduced below 1. Skin, hair, fingernails, and toenails lost to [[#Mutation]] regrow normally once [[contamination]] is removed. However, a [[regenerate]] spell or similar magic is needed to restore any other body parts (such as teeth, limbs, or eyes) lost as a result of [[contamination]] levels. Appendages or limbs which develop as a result of [[#Mutation]] wither and fall off when [[contamination]] is removed, and other warped body parts are restored to their original form. ![[Mutation.png|500]] %% ## Death and Dying while Contaminated 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.%% %% ## Monsterous Transformation A creature who reaches [[contamination]] level 6 or higher triggers a transformation into a horrific monster controlled by the Game Master. Once triggered, the transformation finishes in 1 round. It is thereafter permanent. Narrate a suitably gory description of the transformation. Choose the creature’s new form, which is most often an aberration or monstrosity of some kind such as a [[delerium dreg]], [[haze hulk]], or gibbering mouther. The new form usually has a challenge rating similar to that of the original creature, but under appropriate circumstances you can choose one that is much higher or much lower. The creature’s game statistics are entirely replaced by those of the chosen monster. The creature assumes the new form’s hit points and hit dice. All [[contamination]] levels are removed, grant additional traits to the new form similar to any beneficial [[#Mutation]] gained from [[contamination]] levels. Determine 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. ## Reversing the Transformation The means of reversing a [[#Monsterous Transformation]] are completely unknown at the outset of the campaign. A [[#Monsterous Transformation]] is widely regarded as permanent, though many still search the ruins for answers. Those who do may eventually be able to research the [[siphon contamination]] spell. A [[wish]] spell or similar magic can restore a single transformed creature to its previous form, removing all madness and [[contamination]] in the process. This is considered a stressful use of the [[wish]] spell, and thus there is a 33 percent chance that the caster will be unable to cast [[wish]] ever again if they use the spell in this manner. The transformation is otherwise irreversible by any means short of divine intervention. Nevertheless, at the Game Master’s discretion, it may be possible to temporarily alleviate a transformed creature’s innate madness. However, an intelligent monster who receives long-term treatment of any sort may eventually conspire to contaminate or subtly corrupt its caretakers. %%