Encounters with areas and beings that have been intensely corrupted by the Abyss can cause lasting effects on the mind and spirit. Dark energies invade the mind, whispering deranged thoughts and pulling the soul ever closer to oblivion. The whispers, the fear, and the feeling of utter helplessness can affect the minds of even the most steadfast of heroes.
Corruption Level
Though invisible in the mortal realm, the mark of corruption it carries bleeds through the fabric of reality. Over many years, mystics and scholars have attempted to measure the spread of abyssal or entropic corruption. They have been able to pinpoint the areas where it is the strongest, but the far reaching effects over the land are still as of yet indeterminable.
In the many areas where corruption bleeds through, the energies will affect anything it comes into contact
with in various ways. In game terms, each area affected by abyssal or entropic corruption has a Corruption Level from 1 to 8. The highest levels usually tend to be located near planar portals and dimensional rifts. Common areas don’t surpass a Corruption Level of 3, with levels of 4 and 5 as outliers. On rare occasion, reports describe areas tainted to Corruption Levels between 6 and 8. While inconsistent, descriptions of these anomalies depict a radial area no more than a couple of miles wide, usually devoid of life, and those who venture within claim to endure dangerous side effects.
Sanity Checks
In a campaign focusing on demon lords, elder gods, and other maddening supernatural forces, each character has a seventh ability score called Sanity, described in chapter 9 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide. A character’s maximum Sanity score is determined at character creation, like other ability scores, and can only be improved through Ability Score Increases.
Keep track of your character’s original Sanity score, as their Sanity score may decrease throughout the course of a campaign. There will be situations during the adventure where characters must make a Sanity saving throw to avoid going mad.
Sanity save DC = 10 + Corruption Level
On a failed save, a creature loses a point of Sanity and incurs one of the side effects listed on the following table. They last until the creature takes a short rest.
If the creature reaches half its Sanity (rounded down), it must instead roll on the Long-Term Madness table in chapter 8 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide. Whenever a creature’s Sanity score is reduced to 0, it gains a type of Indefinite Madness, which is permanent even if the creature’s Sanity score rises above 0.
Recovering Sanity
Sanity can only be recovered by taking a long rest. A creature’s Sanity score recovers points equal to 1 + its Wisdom modifier after completing a long rest, up to its maximum Sanity score.
Testing Sanity
Sanity checks are required when:
- First entering a corrupted area
- Whenever an ally is reduced to 0 hit points in a corrupted area
- Initial physical contact with a corrupted item
- Casting any detection spell within a corrupted area
- On first sight of a corrupted creature (or group).
- Upon first taking damage from a corrupted creature in each encounter
- Special attacks and spells that prompt sanity checks.
Sanity Loss
| d20 |
Effect |
| 1–5 |
You hear constant whispers distracting your attention. You suffer a –5 penalty to initiative. |
| 6–10 |
Your inner fears cause you to take every step cautiously. Your speed is reduced by half. |
| 11–13 |
You see constant, random visions of death and decay. You have disadvantage on Wisdom and Intelligence checks. |
| 14–16 |
You feel as if you aren't fully in control of your body or mind. You have disadvantage on all saving throws except death saving throws. |
| 17–19 |
Everyone looks corrupted. Whenever you make an attack, you must succeed on a DC 10 Sanity saving throw or attack the nearest ally instead of your original target. |
| 20 |
The corruption drains you to the point of weariness. You suffer one point of exhaustion. |
Sanity and Corruption in Other Settings
Corruption and its effects can be presented in a variety of ways depending on where it’s encountered. Deep in the Underdark, magical radiation known to the drow as faerzress slowly twists and reshapes all that it touches. In Anchoromé, a decades-long war left a scar of corruption between Revonar to Dari Sinora known as the Lash. In Eberron, dual-planar junctions known as manifest zones sometimes bear aspects of corruption originating from Mabar, the plane of Endless Night, or Xoriat, the Realm of Madness. However, within the Mournlands, the Glowing Chasm makes up the settings largest continuous region.
Within these realms, certain magical spells, cursed items or artifacts, and innate spellcasting abilities can also require targets to make Sanity checks, especially in but not exclusive to any areas that have an assigned Corruption Level.
Comments