Corruption

Low-level wizards are powerful. High-level wizards fear for their souls. Continual use of magic results in…changes. Exposure to demons, radiation from other planes, elemental energies in toxic quantities, and the servants of Chaos all affect a wizard over the course of his career. Higher-level wizards seek pacts with demons and elementals to sustain their health so they may continue to advance.

Each and every time a wizard rolls a natural 1 on a spell check, he suffers the effect of the spell failure. Moreover, his spell may misfire and he may suffer corruption. The individual spell entries include specific results associated with a natural 1 on each spell check, as well as misfire and corruption results specific to the spell. Some results will further direct the player to roll on one of the corruption tables: minor, major, or greater. If this is required, the roll is 1d10 minus the spell’s level plus the wizard’s Luck modifier. In select circumstances, other modifiers may apply as well (e.g., a curse). Certain kinds of black magic may trigger corruption more often, as indicated and adjusted by the spell table.

Luck to avoid corruption: A wizard that suffers corruption may burn a point of Luck to avoid the corruption. The Luck can be burned after the player rolls to determine the specific corruption result. Note that Luck cannot be burned to avoid a spell misfire, only to avoid corruption. Patron taint is considered corruption for these purposes.

Minor Corruption

D10	Result
1 or lower	Character develops horrid pustules on his face. These pustules do not heal and impose a -1 penalty to Personality.
2	Character’s skin on one random portion of his body appears to melt. Like wax, it flows and reforms into odd puddles and shapes. This is an ongoing, constant motion that itches constantly and repulses others. Determine location randomly (1d6): (1) face; (2) arms; (3) legs; (4) torso; (5) hands; (6) feet.
3	One of the character’s legs grows 1d6”. Character now walks with an odd gait.
4	Eyes affected. Roll 1d4: (1) eyes glow with unearthly color; (2) eyes gain light sensitivity (-1 to all rolls in daylight (3) character gains infravision (sees heat signatures at range of 100’ (4) eyes become large and unblinking, like a fish.
5	Character develops painful lesions on his chest and legs and open sores on his hands and feet that do not heal.
6	Ears mutate. Roll 1d5: (1) ears become pointed; (2) ears fall off (character still hears normally (3) ears enlarge and look like an elephant’s; (4) ears elongate and look like a donkey’s (character also gains braying laugh (5) ears shrivel and fold back.
7	Chills. Character shakes constantly and cannot remain quiet due to chattering teeth.
8	Character’s facial appearance is permanently disfigured according to the magic that was summoned. If fire magic was used, his eyebrows are scorched and his skin glows red; if cold magic was used, his skin is pasty white and his lips are blue. If ambiguous magic was used, his appearance grows gaunt and he permanently loses 5 pounds.
9	Character’s hair is suffused with dark energy. Roll 1d4: (1) hair turns bone white; (2) hair turns pitch black; (3) hair falls out completely; (4) hair sticks straight up.
10+	Character passes out. He is unconscious for 1d6 hours or until awakened by vigorous means.

Major Corruption

D10	Result
1 or lower	Febrile. Character slowly weakens over 1d4 months, suffering a -1 penalty to Strength for each month.
2	A duplicate of the character’s face grows on his back. It looks just like his normal face. The eyes, nose, and mouth can be operated independently.
3	Consumption. Character’s body feeds on its own mass. Character loses 2d10 pounds in one month and suffers a -1 penalty to Stamina.
4	Corpulence. Character gains 6d12 pounds in one month. The weight gain imposes a -1 penalty to Agility, and the character’s speed is reduced by 5’.
5	Character crackles with energy of a type associated with the spells he most commonly casts. The energy could manifest as flames, lightning, cold waves, etc.
6	Character’s height changes by 1d20-10 inches. There is no change in weight; the character’s body grows thin and tall or short and fat.
7	Demonic taint. Roll 1d3: (1) character’s fingers elongate into claws, and he gains an attack for 1d6 damage; (2) character’s feet transform into cloven hoofs; (3) character’s legs become goat-like.
8	Character’s skin changes to an unearthly shade. Roll 1d8: (1) albino; (2) pitch black; (3) clear; (4) shimmering quality; (5) deep blue; (6) malevolent yellow; (7) ashen and pallid; (8) texture and color of fishy scales; (9) thick bear-like fur; (10) reptilian scales.
9	Small horns grow on the character’s forehead. This appears as a ridge-like, simian forehead for the first month; then buds for the second month; goat horns after the third month; and finally, bull horns after six months.
10+	Character’s tongue forks and his nostrils narrow to slits. The character is able to smell with his tongue like a snake.

Greater Corruption

D10	Result
1 or lower	sliver of soul energy is claimed by a demon lord. Character experiences unearthly pain, suffering 3d6 damage, a permanent -2 penalty to all ability scores, and an additional -2 penalty to Luck.
2	Decay. Character’s flesh falls off in zombie-like chunks. Character loses 1d4 hp per day. Only magical healing can stave off the decay.
3	Character’s head becomes bestial in a painful overnight transformation. Roll 1d6: (1) snake; (2) goat; (3) bull; (4) rat; (5) insect; (6) fish.
4	Character’s limbs are replaced by suckered tentacles. One limb is replaced at random each month for four months. At the end of four months, it is impossible to hide the character’s inhuman nature.
5	Small tentacles grow around the character’s mouth and ears. The tentacles are maggot-sized at first, but grow at rate of 1” per month to a mature length of 12”.
6	Third eye. Roll 1d4 for location: (1) middle of forehead; (2) palm of hand; (3) chest; (4) back of head.
7	Fingers on one hand fuse while the thumb enlarges. After one week, the hand has transformed into a crab claw. Character gains a natural attack for 1d6 damage and can no longer grasp normal weapons and objects.
8	Character grows a tail over 1d7 days. Roll 1d6: (1) scorpion tail that can attack for 1d4 damage plus poison (DC 10 Fort save or target loses 1d4 Str permanently (2) scaly snake tail; (3) forked demon tail (grants +1 Agility (4) fleshy tail ending in a useable third hand; (5) fused cartilaginous links ending in spiked stump that can attack for 1d6 damage; (6) bushy horse’s tail.
9	Bodily transformation. Roll 1d6: (1) character grows scales across his entire body; (2) character grows gills; (3) character sprouts feathers; (4) character develops webbed toes and feet.
10+	Character grows a beak in place of his mouth. Transformation starts as a puckering of the lips that slowly turns into a full-fledged bird or squid beak over the next 1d12 months. Character gains a bite attack for 1d3 damage.

Generic Spell Misfire

Although every spell table includes results for a misfire, the judge may occasionally need generic effects. These can be useful when monsters use spell-like abilities, when the characters roll a natural 1 while using a magic item’s powers, and other such situations. Here are some generic spell misfire tables for use when appropriate.

D8	Result
1 or lower	Nearest ally is partially transformed into an animal (Will save to resist; DC = 10 + (2x spell level)). Roll 1d6 to determine body part: 1 = arms; 2 = legs; 3 = skin; 4 = head; 5-6 = body. Roll 1d8 for animal type: 1 = chicken; 2 = gorilla; 3 = cow; 4 = lizard; 5 = snake; 6 = horse; 7 = dragon; 8 = eagle. The duration of this effect is 1d7 days. On a roll of 7, re-roll as 1d7 weeks. On a second 7, re-roll as 1d7 months.
2	Different spell effect! The wizard inadvertently channels the wrong spell energies. Randomly determine a different spell of the same level. Have the wizard make a spell check roll for that spell. If the spell check is a failure, nothing happens. If it is a success, follow the results.
3	Rain! But it’s not water. The wizard inadvertently causes a torrential downpour of (roll 1d6): 1 = flower petals; 2 = garden snails; 3 = cow dung; 4 = rotten vegetables; 5 = iron ingots; 6 = snakes (5% chance they are poisonous).
4	Explosion centered on nearest creature! That creature takes 1d3 damage per spell level.
5	Transformation! One randomly determined creature among the six closest is transformed into (roll 1d6): 1 = stone; 2 = crystal; 3 = earth; 4 = iron; 5 = water; 6 = fire. (Will save to resist, DC = 10 + (2x spell level)). There is a 10% chance the transformation is permanent; otherwise, the creature returns to normal in 1d7 days.
6	Inadvertent corruption! Roll d12+5 on the minor corruption table and apply the result to one randomly determined creature among the six closest (no Will save to resist).
7	Fireworks! Brilliant colored lights explode all around the caster, creating thundering booms. This effect deals no damage but draws attention to the caster.
8	Cloud of ash! Everyone within 20’ of the caster is coated in fine ash.