Seeds of Corruption

Corruption contains a selection of game or campaign-shaping options in the form of Corruptions and Wonders. The page shows a couple of Corruptions and a revised version of a Wonder, (which was originally posted a few weeks ago).

Black Book

The words in the Black Book are said to be written in demons’ blood on pages made from the flesh of a saint. The dark cover is battered and bruised, but otherwise unmarked. When opened the book appears as a spellbook, containing copies of Cleric spells that cause damage or defend against good. The spells found inside usually include Protection from Good, Dispel Good, Cause Light Wounds, Cause Disease, Curse, Cause Serious Wounds, Cause Critical Wounds, Garble, Harm, Poison and Unholy Word.

Whenever the book is opened a few of the letters in a page will slip off the page and bleed over on to any paper, papyrus or cloth within 5’. The process can’t be stopped unless all such materials are kept away. Once established on another piece of paper or cloth the letters rapidly infest other texts. In doing so the black letters twist the meaning of documents until diplomatic papers cause offence, good spells change to evil equivalents and items with positive effects become harmful.

To make matters worse, infected pages or cloths pass on the black letters and whole worlds can be left without healing spells and other Lawful magic.

Witching Tree

A Witching Tree starts life in large, densely-forested swamps infested with insects and serpents. Evil creatures are drawn to the chaos within the trees; where they are easily ensnared and overcome by these opportunistic, evil Treants. Each Witching Tree has 12d8HD and an AC 0 [19] when fully grown. Up to twelve branches cause 3d8hp each and anything hit twice in the same turn is swallowed whole in the next round.

Night Hags and Banshees are their preferred prey; but witches, warlocks and most undead monsters are also favorites. A Witching Tree uses its branches to envelope victims, before stuffing them into a cavity that opens in the bark. Weaker targets are dissolved at a rate of 4d6/ round inside the trunk, but Banshees and Night Hags are sealed beneath the bark, wrapped in resin and turned into part of the tree. Once stocked with a powerful victim a Witching Tree is able to flower and fruit within a week.

During flowering a Witching Tree and its immediate surroundings lose their ghastly aspect and take on the appearance of an abundant forest glade. Large, beautifully scented flowers soon emerge in spectacular colors. Shortly afterwards as many as 4d4 luscious fruit pods appear on the branches and grow rapidly to a width of 3’. Then, overnight, the fruits ripen and swell suddenly – until ready to burst. Any rapid movement within the 120’ range of the roots may then trigger the release of some or all of the fruits, which fall and open to reveal one of the following: a Giant Wasp, a Giant Spectral Spider, a Wasp Swarm or a Giant Spectral Wolf Spider. (Roll d4 for each pod).

These monsters hunt for food and, (because they are part of a Witching Tree), each humanoid, (or larger victim), adds an extra HD to the tree. Anyone tasting the fruit before it falls isn’t much better off, as the fruit acts like a Charm Monster spell and a successful saving throw is required to avoid seeking to nurture and protect the tree for a month.

The trees are to be feared all the more, as they can move at night and will leave swamps they have stripped clean to find fresh prey in woodlands and forests. As a result, they may flower frequently until hunted down. If a Witching Tree is reduced to 0hp the bark falls away and all the trapped Banshees, Night Hags and similar creatures held inside are released to cause mayhem.

Perhaps the greatest concern is the risk that a Witching Tree will manage to consume an infernal creature, which might allow a tree to produce a wider variety of deadlier fruits.

Chariot of the Senses

A Chariot of the Senses is made of white marble and accompanied by five horses, which are also made of white marble. While in this form both the chariot and its horses are impervious to damage and seemingly inert.

If someone steps on to the chariot all of their attribute scores are balanced momentarily, causing them to feel weak and disorientated. If the average attribute score after balancing, (with scores rounded down), is 13 or above the chariot will activate. Otherwise, the disorientation and weakness continues until a creature steps away from the chariot.

When the reins are taken by a character with average attributes of 13 or over the horses come to life and the chariot changes from a marble frame to a honeycombed ivory frame. The chariot is also equipped with mithril fittings, including a mithril bow. Removing the bow or the fittings from the chariot returns them to stone.

The charioteer may drive the chariot as if a four-horse chariot driven by five War Horses at the speed of the horses rather than a chariot.  However, it requires average attributes of 14 or higher for the driver or an archer to string the mithril bow. When strung the bow makes any arrow fitted to it +3 to-hit when firing from the chariot. In addition, any arrow fitted to the bow will ignite as a flame arrow when it takes flight. The flames add 2d4hp to the damage caused by the bow.

Any gold or jewels placed in direct contact with the chariot will be absorbed instantly. This will appear to have no effect until 10,000gp in gold, 10,000gp of gems or both amounts have disappeared into the chariot. If these levels of gold and/ or gems are absorbed the chariot’s surface accumulates new tints on the surface of the ivory.

1. A total of 10,000gp gives the ivory a gold tint. This improves occupants AC by 2 and the driver also becomes aware of the ability to command the chariot to detonate in a shower of exploding ivory and gold. Any explosion causes 12d6hp within 120’, but does leave 2d4 x 1000gp to be collected from the debris. An explosion can be triggered by word of mouth or gesture from 150’ away.

2. A total of 10,000gp worth of precious stones makes the chariot radiant or brilliant. This shimmering effect deflects and amplifies 50% of all magical effects aimed at the chariot or anyone in it. Creatures within 60’ have to make a saving throw or suffer the effects of any deflected spell. The driver also becomes aware of the ability to command the chariot to detonate in a glistening shock wave of ivory and gemstones. Any explosion causes 12d6hp within 120’, but does leave 4d4 x 1000gp of gems to be collected from the debris. An explosion can be triggered by word of mouth or gesture from 150’ away.

3. A combined total of 10,000gp of gold and 10,000gp in gems adds a sparkle to the gold and brilliance. When the chariot is golden, sparkling and brilliant the driver becomes aware of the ability to command the reins to lengthen once/ day. Each horse then turns into a Pegasus for 6 turns and they are easily able to draw the chariot through the skies. An explosion causes 36d6 if triggered.

It is not known what might happen if a creature with average attributes of 15 or above stepped on to such a chariot. Nor whether or not there are any other materials that might be absorbed by the chariot. Rumors suggest that the legendary sorcerer Mendle may have invented Mendle’s Marvelous Metals with the intention of placing them on a Chariot of the Senses.

Tainted is available from DriveThruRPG