Corruption & Mutation

Corruption & Mutation

Corruption

Corruption represents spiritual taint and is caused by the use of magic or the proximity of strong otherworldly powers. It is initially 0, but can slowly accumulate and it is hard to get rid of. It is usually reduced only after suffering Soulblight, which usually isn’t a positive experience!

Soulblight

Characters must roll a d12 each time they suffer corruption. If they roll lower or equal than their current corruption, they suffer soulblight. Characters who suffer soulblight take direct damage equal to the rolled number, then corruption is also reduced by the same amount.

Example

Balthasar starts with 0 corruption and suffers 2 corruption. He rolls 5 on a d12, meaning that nothing else happens.

He later suffers 3 corruption, bringing the total to 5. This time he rolls a 1 on a d12, meaning he suffer soulblight. He takes 1 point of direct damage and his corruption is reduced to 4.

Mutations

Characters who suffer critical damage due to soulblight also develop a permanent mutation determined by rolling on the Mutations table, in addition to the usual effects. The GM can pick a mutation instead of rolling, if something fits the current circumstances particularly well.

Example
Balthasar has 4 remaining health and suffers 1 corruption again, bringing the total to 5. He rolls a 3 on a d12: soulblight! His corruption is reduced to 2 but he suffers 3 damage: enough to inflict critical damage! Not only he is incapacitated, but he must also roll on the Mutations table. He rolls 11 on a d12 and 20 on a d20: the result is “Uncanny resemblance”.
Table 1. Mutations
D12D20Mutation

1-3

1-2

Personality change. Your personality changes for the worst. D6: 1) irascible; 2) apathetic; 3) sad; 4) proud; 5) mean; 6) pessimistic.

3-4

Addiction. You gain the addicted trait. Roll a d6 for what you are addicted to: 1) alcoholic drink; 2) darkroot; 3) pipe & tobacco; 4) madcap mushrooms; 5) crimson weed; 6) corpse mandrake.

5-6

Unnatural appetite. You develop an unnatural appetite: you must satisfy it instead of eating normal food or drinking water. D6: 1) drink blood; 2) drink tears; 3) drink quicksilver; 4) eat mud; 5) eat human flesh; 6) eat maggots.

7-8

Disgusting habit. You develop an annoying or disgusting habit. D6: 1) eat your hair; 2) scratch your butt; 3) fart; 4) pick your nose; 5) spit; 6) belch loudly.

9-10

Compulsion. You develop an irresistible desire to do something: when tempted, you must pass a WIT save to resist. D6: 1) make things burn; 2) destroy beautiful things; 3) keep your stuff perfectly clean; 4) insult figures of authority; 5) buy unnecessarily expensive things; 6) steal.

11-12

Revulsion. You must pass a WIT save to force yourself to approach or touch the source of your revulsion. D6: 1) metal; 2) animals; 3) people; 4) mushrooms; 5) water; 6) dirt.

13-14

Irrational phobia. You are afraid of something irrational. D6: 1) rodents; 2) salt water; 3) religious paraphernalia; 4) a particular colour; 5) insects; 6) wizards.

15-16

Irrational hatred. You must pass a WIT save to keep yourself from acting aggressively against the target of your hatred. D6: 1) a specific group of people; 2) users of sorcerous powers; 3) users of sacred powers; 4) demons; 5) undead; 6) animals.

17-18

Uncontrollable bloodlust. When blood is spilt nearby you, you must pass a WIT save or become frenzied until the end of the stretch. If you pass you are immune to this effect until the end of the stretch.

19-20

Telepathy You can communicate telepathically with a person you can see within range 8. While doing this you must concentrate and can’t perform any other activity requiring your focus.

4-5

1-5

Atrophy. Your STR is permanently reduced by d4.

6-10

Painful boils. Your AGI is permanently reduced by d4.

11-15

Brain rot. Your WIT is permanently reduced by d4.

16-20

Curse. Your maximum omens are permanently reduced by 1. Reroll if they are already 0.

6-8

1-4

Unusual skin. Your skin develop an unusual colour, pattern, or appearance. D6: 1) bright red; 2) corpse-like flesh; 3) multi-chromatic; 4) metallic; 5) hairless; 6) covered in strange markings.

5-8

Unusual eyes. Your eyes develop an unusual colour, pattern, or appearance. This doesn’t affect your ability to see. D6: 1) empty sockets; 2) eyes like a starry night; 3) burning flames; 4) eye-stalks; 5) lizard-like; 6) blood red.

9-12

Unusual hair. Your hair develops an unusual colour, pattern, or appearance. D6: 1) bright red and waving like a living flame; 2) crawling maggots; 3) silvery white and strong like metal; 4) moving in spirals; 5) weak and patchy; 6) leafy vines.

13-16

Unusual odour. Your body emits an unusual, very noticeable odour. D6: 1) musk; 2) sulphur; 3) dung; 4) rotten flesh; 5) ammonia; 6) rusted iron.

17-20

Unusual voice. Your voice changes in an unusual way. D6: 1) raspy whisper; 2) hissing; 3) high pitched; 4) powerful growl; 5) buzzing as if produced by insects; 6) unrecognisable accent.

9-10

1-2

Lost body part. One part of your body disappears, potentially bringing similar disadvantages as an injury. D6: 1) an arm; 2) a leg; 3) an eye; 4) an ear; 5) your nose; 6) your teeth.

3-4

Extra body part. An additional body part sprouts somewhere on your body. D6: 1) an arm; 2) a leg; 3) an eye; 4) an ear; 5) a nose; 6) a mouth.

5-6

Re-arranged body parts. Some body parts swap their positions, for example your legs with your arms, or your eyes with your ears.

7-8

Weird blood. Your blood is replaced by some weird substance. D6: 1) acid; 2) insects; 3) mud; 4) resin; 5) wine; 6) glue.

9-10

Bestial legs. D6: 1) goat legs; 2) grasshopper legs (can jump farther away); 3) spider legs (can climb sheer surfaces easily); 4) bird legs; 5) lizard legs; 6) fish tail (can swim at full speed, halves movement speed on land).

11-12

Bestial arm. D6: 1) tentacle (your grapple attacks can’t be saved against); 2) crab pincer (d6 damage); 3) sharp claws (d4 damage); 4) wing (not functional); 5) gorilla arm (d4 damage, STR permanently increased by 1); 6) mantis scythe (d6 damage).

13-14

Bestial head. D6: 1) horned goat head (horns: d4 damage); 2) fly head; 3) bird head (beak: d4 damage); 4) snake head (bite: d4 damage, damaging poison on 1 or more damage); 5) bat head (echolocation); 6) frog head (sticky tongue with range 1, can grab items and characters of bulk 1 or less).

15-16

Bestial skin. D6: 1) thick fur; 2) bird feathers; 3) lizard scales; 4) fish scales; 5) elephant skin; 6) turtle shell (armour value 1).

17-18

Bestial tail. D6: 1) scorpion (d6 damage, paralysing poison on 1 or more damage); 2) monkey (prehensile); 3) goat; 4) lizard (regrows if cut); 5) pig; 6) dog (it wiggles when you are excited);

19-20

Bestial wings. You gain the flying (lander) trait. D4: 1) falcon; 2) butterfly; 3) fly; 4) bat.

11

1

Bone spurs. Sharp bone spurs grows all over your body. They can be used as a weapon inflicting d6 damage.

2

Elastic limbs. Your arms, legs, and neck are elastic and can extend up to range 1.

3

Detachable limbs. You suffer no bleeding when body parts are cut away from you, and you can still move them as if they were still connected to your body. Reconnecting them to your body requires stitching.

4

Acid secretion. You secrete an extremely acid substance. Any piece of clothing or armour you wear is destroyed within seconds, and you inflict d4 damage per round to characters you grab.

5

Foul secretion. You secrete a foul, smelly substance. Everyone you touch is exposed to a disease. D6: 1) influence; 2) flux; 3) plague; 4) black gangrene; 5) bloodburn; 6) weeping sores.

6

Skull face. Your face turns into a skull. You cause fear within range 4.

7

Darksight. You can see in darkness, but in normal light you can see at most up to range 1.

8

Corrosive vomit. Once per day rest, you can vomit a large amount of corrosive liquid. This is an attack inflicting d6 damage and destroying the equipment of your target.

9

Fire breath. Once per day rest, you can breathe a stream of fire. This is a blast attack inflicting d6 fire damage.

10

Swarm of insects. You are constantly accompanied by a swarm of flies, maggots, and cockroaches, swarming around you and molesting anyone trying to harm you. Enemies attempting to attack you in melee must pass a STR save to be able to hit you.

11

11

Evil eye. One of your eyes turns black like the night. You gain the sorcery skill, or your maximum mana is increased by 1 if you already have the skill. Your sight isn’t affected.

12

Eye of the prophet. One of your eyes turn milky white like a pearl. Your maximum omens increase by 1 and you immediately gain 1 omen. Your sight isn’t affected.

13

Boneless. Your skeleton leaves your body to live its own life as an undead and you become a soft, boneless organism. Your STR and AGI are both permanently reduced by d4, but you are able to bend your body in impossible ways.

14

Skeleton. Your skin and muscles leave your body, leaving you as a bloody skeleton surrounding your internal organs. Your become undead and you cause fear within range 4, but your STR and AGI are permanently reduced by d4.

15

Flying head. Your head detaches from your body, and from now on you must live as a bodiless flying head. You gain the flying (hoverer) trait and your STR is permanently halved, besides any other obvious effects such as being unable to hold stuff.

16

Mouth of truth. A fanged mouth opens on your neck, which reveals your secrets at the least opportune moments. It is silenced for a day if it drinks human blood.

17

Sentient tumour. A cancerous lump grows somewhere on your body. It has its own alien intellect and constantly tries to take control over you. The GM makes a secret WIT roll for you after each rest: on a fail the tumour takes control over your body for a stretch during the next day. When and how is decided by the GM. When you die, the tumour detaches from your body and turns into a tiny copy of you, which grows to full size after a week, potentially taking your place in the world.

18

Evil twin. A lump detaches from your body and grows into an identical twin, who is however extremely evil and will try to soil your good name in any way possible.

19

Demonic nature. You feel that something is different, as if you didn’t belong to this world any more. You become a demon.

20

Uncanny resemblance. Your appearances changes to match that of another person.

12

1-20

Roll twice.