Pathfinder horror realms pdf download

orror H adveNTUres

orror H adveNTUres

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orror H adveNTUres

Lead Designer • Jason Bulmahn Designers • Logan Bonner, Stephen Radney-MacFarland, and Mark Seifter Authors • John Bennett, Clinton J. Boomer, Logan Bonner, Robert Brookes, Jason Bulmahn, Ross Byers, Jim Groves, Steven Helt, Thurston Hillman, Eric Hindley, Brandon Hodge, Mikko Kallio, Jason Nelson, Tom Phillips, Stephen Radney-MacFarland, Alistair Rigg, Alex Riggs, David N. Ross, F. Wesley Schneider, David Schwartz, Mark Seifter, and Linda Zayas-Palmer Cover Artist • Wayne Reynolds Interior Artists • Dave Allsop, David Alvarez, Hazem Ameen, Leonardo Borazio, Chris Casciano, Tomasz Chistowski, Alberto Dal Lago, Mariana Fernandes, Matt Forsyth, Gintas Galvanauskas, Igor Grechanyi, Kent Hamilton, Ralph Horsley, Chris Knight, Setiawan Lie, Daniel Lopez, Jaime Martinez, Nikola Matkovic, Mark Molnar, Caio Maciel Monteiro, Jose Parodi, Hugh Pindur, Maichol Quinto, Bogdan Rezunenko, Kiki Moch Rizky, Riccardo Rullo, Rudy Siswanto, Firat Solhan, and Richard Suwono Editor-in-Chief • F. Wesley Schneider Creative Director • James Jacobs Executive Editor • James L. Sutter Senior Developer • Rob McCreary Pathfinder Society Lead Developer • John Compton Developers • Adam Daigle, Crystal Frasier, Amanda Hamon Kunz, Mark Moreland, Owen K.C. Stephens, and Linda Zayas-Palmer Senior Editors • Judy Bauer and Christopher Carey Editors • Thomas Call, Lillian Cohen-Moore, Garrett Guillotte, Jason Keeley, Lyz Liddell, Kate O’Connor, Rep Pickard, and Josh Vogt Senior Art Director • Sarah E. Robinson Art Director • Sonja Morris Senior Graphic Designer • Adam Vick Graphic Designer • Emily Crowell Publisher • Erik Mona Paizo CEO • Lisa Stevens Chief Operations Officer • Jeffrey Alvarez Director of Sales • Pierce Watters Sales Associate • Cosmo Eisele Marketing Director • Jenny Bendel Vice President of Finance • Christopher Self Staff Accountant • Ashley Kaprielian Data Entry Clerk • B. Scott Keim Chief Technical Officer • Vic Wertz Software Development Manager • Cort Odekirk Senior Software Developer • Gary Teter Project Manager • Jessica Price Organized Play Coordinator • Tonya Woldridge Adventure Card Game Designer • Tanis O’Connor Community Team • Liz Courts and Chris Lambertz Customer Service Team • Sharaya Copas, Katina Davis, Sara Marie Teter, and Diego Valdez Warehouse Team • Will Chase, Mika Hawkins, Heather Payne, Jeff Strand, and Kevin Underwood Website Team • Christopher Anthony, William Ellis, Lissa Guillet, Julie Iaccarino, and Erik Keith Special Thanks • The countless players and Game Masters who have helped us refine this game over the years. This game is dedicated to Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. Based on the original roleplaying game rules designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson and inspired by the third edition of the game designed by Monte Cook, Jonathan Tweet, Skip Williams, Richard Baker, and Peter Adkison. This game would not be possible without the passion and dedication of the thousands of gamers who helped playtest and develop it. Thank you for all of your time and effort.

Paizo Inc. 7120 185th Ave NE, Ste 120 Redmond, WA 98052-0577 paizo.com This product is compliant with the Open Game License (OGL) and is suitable for use with the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game or the 3.5 edition of the world’s oldest fantasy roleplaying game. Product Identity: The following items are hereby identified as Product Identity, as defined in the Open Game License version 1.0a, Section 1(e), and are not Open Content: All trademarks, registered trademarks, proper names (characters, deities, etc.), dialogue, plots, storylines, locations, characters, artwork, and trade dress. (Elements that have previously been designated as Open Game Content or are in the public domain are not included in this declaration.) Open Content: Except for material designated as Product Identity (see above), the game mechanics of this Paizo game product are Open Game Content, as defined in the Open Game License version 1.0a Section 1(d). No portion of this work other than the material designated as Open Game Content may be reproduced in any form without written permission. Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Horror Adventures © 2016, Paizo Inc. All Rights Reserved. Paizo, Paizo Inc., the Paizo golem logo, Pathfinder, the Pathfinder logo, and Pathfinder Society are registered trademarks of Paizo Inc.; Pathfinder Accessories, Pathfinder Adventure Card Game, Pathfinder Adventure Path, Pathfinder Battles, Pathfinder Campaign Setting, Pathfinder Cards, Pathfinder Flip-Mat, Pathfinder Map Pack, Pathfinder Module, Pathfinder Pawns, Pathfinder Player Companion, Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, and Pathfinder Tales are trademarks of Paizo Inc. First printing July 2016. Printed in China.

TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION

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CHAPTER 1: HORROR CHARACTERS

6

Playing a Horror Hero Fear Sanity Corruption

8 10 12 14

CHAPTER 3: FEATS

76

Feat Descriptions

79

CHAPTER 4: SPELLS AND RITUALS

96

Spell Lists Spells Occult Rituals

98 108 132

CHAPTER 5: HORROR RULES

134

Curses Horrific Diseases Environments Fleshwarping Haunts Madness

138 146 152 164 172 182

Accursed

16

Deep One

18

Ghoul

20

Hellbound

22

Hive

24

Lich

26

Lycanthropy

28

Possessed

30

Promethean

32

Shadowbound

34

CHAPTER 6: RUNNING HORROR ADVENTURES

188

Vampirism

36

Race Rules

38

Rules Improvisation

206

CHAPTER 7: HORROR GEAR AND MAGIC ITEMS

210

Torture Implements Alchemical Items Magic Items Magic Item Possession

212 213 213 228

CHAPTER 8: BESTIARY

230

Dread Lord Hive Implacable Stalker Kyton, Apostle Trompe l’Oeil Unknown Waxwork Creature Simple Templates

234 236 238 240 242 244 246 248

HORRIFIC INSPIRATIONS

252

INDEX

254

CHAPTER 2: ARCHETYPES AND CLASS OPTIONS

42

Alchemist Barbarian Cleric Druid Inquisitor Investigator Kineticist Medium Mesmerist Occultist Paladin Slayer Spiritualist Vigilante Witch Wizard

44 46 48 50 52 54 56 58 60 62 64 66 68 70 72 74

Introduction T

errible things lurk in the world’s dark places. Although these foul horrors might shy away from sunny fields and verdant forests, don’t mistake their reluctance for weakness. They rule supreme in the realms of terror, and those who seek to put an end to such monsters must risk it all—body, mind, and soul. Pathfinder RPG Horror Adventures includes a wide variety of rules and advice for players and GMs to amplify the horror in their games. Players will have to manage their sanity; avoid corruption; and select the right spells, feats, and gear if they hope to have any chance of survival. Meanwhile, GMs are presented with numerous new subsystems, expansions to diseases and madness, horrific environments, and sinister monster templates to challenge any hero. Horror Adventures includes plenty of ways to transform even the most innocent-seeming setting into a potential nightmare!

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NAVIGATING THIS BOOK This book is organized by chapter, with each one containing rules grouped by type and theme for ease of reference. The following overview summarizes each chapter to give you an idea of what you’ll find inside. Finally, if you’re searching for a specific topic, refer to the index located on page 254. Chapter 1—Horror Characters: Characters stand at the heart of any horror adventure. Whether forced into the darkness or venturing there willingly, these protagonists face danger beyond their imagining. This chapter helps players fully understand the risks their characters are taking by confronting the terrible forces of horror. The first section provides a more robust fear system. These additional rules help GMs build a sense of dread and make states of mind ranging from nervousness to mindrending terror integral to the game. Following this are rules

Introduction ntroduction for sanity that present players with a way of gauging their characters’ mental stability when confronting terrible truths and monstrous foes. Finally, this chapter contains a brand-new system of corruptions to tempt and torment characters. It includes 11 different corruptions that can pollute a character’s very soul, each one progressing over time to offer enticing benefits and inflict accursed stains. These corruptions are followed by a section detailing alternate racial traits for characters who are born and raised while surrounded by horror. Chapter 2—Archetypes and Class Options: When evil forces threaten civilization, characters need the proper tools to fight back. From the cult-hunting investigator who can sense the madness in others to the soul sentinel paladin who fights endlessly against the tide of corruption, there are plenty of character ideas here that will fit seamlessly into any horror adventure. In addition, many of the archetypes in this chapter make imposing villains who can strike fear and terror into the hearts of PCs, such as the sanity-draining mad scientist alchemist or the serial killer vigilante! Chapter 3—Feats: This chapter features a variety of new feats useful to players and GMs who wish to craft horrorthemed characters and creatures, including many new monster feats, such as Gruesome Shapechanger, which makes a shapechanger’s transformation a sickening thing to behold. Also included are an expansion on story feats, first presented in Pathfinder RPG Ultimate Campaign and feats that enhance spell-like abilities.  Chapter 4—Spells and Rituals: Spells and magic are important elements of any horror game. They give villains the tools needed to perform vile rituals and grant heroes a chance to fight back or even undo past misdeeds. This chapter contains spells powered by the caster’s sanity or by the sacrifice of another living being. The forces of good aren’t without hope, however. This chapter also provides many spells that ward off evil and pronounce damnation on the souls of the wicked. Chapter 5—Horror Rules: GMs armed with the proper tools are well on her way to creating memorable horror games. This chapter presents a selection of rules and subsystems that can enhance any game by giving it a suitably horrific focus. An expansion of the rules for curses gives these afflictions a bigger role and makes them even deadlier. In addition to new curses and cursed items, this section provides rules for cursed lands—places scarred by divine retribution or befouled by sinister forces. Also, diseases become significantly more dangerous, with effects that change over time and templates to turn existing poxes into terrifying plagues. This chapter next examines the environments typical to a horror setting—from spooky locations to deadly hazards. Fleshwarping is greatly expanded as well, giving GMs plenty of new ways to twist the bodies of heroes and villains alike.

Book References This book refers to a number of other Pathfinder Roleplaying Game products, yet these additional supplements are not required to make use of this book. Readers who don’t have the Pathfinder RPG hardcovers referred to in this book can find the complete rules of these books available online for free at paizo.com/prd. The following abbreviations indicate rules elements such as feats, spells, and magic items from other sources. Advanced Class Guide Advanced Player’s Guide Advanced Race Guide Bestiary 2 Bestiary 3

ACG APG ARG B2 B3

Bestiary 4 Bestiary 5 Occult Adventures Ultimate Combat Ultimatie Intrigue Ultimate Magic

B4 B5 OA UC UI UM

Haunts also make an appearance in this chapter, including new examples and haunts that are immune to divine power and must be dispelled using other means. Finally, this chapter looks at madness and how to integrate it into games, making this an invaluable section for GMs using the sanity system. Chapter 6—Running Horror Adventures: While many games feature frightening elements, turning games into a tapestry of terror takes careful planning and consideration. This chapter gives GMs guidelines and suggestions on running horror games, from selecting the genre of horror to creating an adventure with the right pacing, and reveals how to sow tension in your players as much as their characters. Novice and veteran GMs alike will find a trove of tips in this chapter to help improve their horror games. Chapter 7—Horror Gear and Magic Items: Gruesome torture implements and wicked magic items make up the bulk of this chapter. From the murderer’s machete to the needful doll, there are plenty of foul items here to bedevil heroes. Fortunately, this chapter also includes protective talismans and other tools to help those fighting against evil. Finally, this section contains rules for possessed magic items—objects that become vessels for evil forces intent upon corrupting their wielders and those around them. Chapter 8—Bestiary: What examination of horror would be complete without a look at monsters? This chapter presents a number of new templates and simple templates to alter any monster into a living terror. From implacable stalkers to simulacra made of living wax, these creatures will have characters quaking in fear!

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1 Horror Characters

S

eelah!” Sajan gritted his teeth and retreated as another gout of lava sprayed up between them, forcing him back. He whirled on the devils. “What are you doing to her?” “It’s okay, Sajan.” Hanging in the air, arms outstretched, Seelah opened her eyes, revealing flat planes of red. A blade of crimson energy sprang from each hand. “I understand it all now. I was right to follow the law, but Iomedae’s law is weak. There’s only one god with the vision to see things as they truly are. Who’s willing to do what must be done.” On her forehead, an inverted pentagram blazed to life. “And I am his sword...”

T

he life of an adventurer has never been safe or comfortable. Terrible dangers lurk around every corner and the threat of death is a constant companion. Despite such grim realities, far more horrifying fates await those who find themselves facing off against true darkness: nightmares that thirst for the tears of the innocent and hunger for the flesh of the living. Adventurers who find themselves in a horror game must be prepared to face terror, madness, and threats to their very souls. This chapter contains new options and advice for players in a horror game. The majority of the chapter is focused on corruptions, a new subsystem that allows players to take on the role of a character slowly transforming into a monster and gaining strange new powers and drawbacks. Additionally, there are new racial abilities, more detailed and nuanced rules for fear, and a sanity system that tracks the stresses that weigh upon a character’s mind and the terrible scars they leave.

PLAYING A HORROR HERO To run an effective horror-themed adventure, the GM has to think about her game in a different light. In the same way, to

get the most out of their characters, players in a horror game should consider their characters anew. This section is aimed at the player, and provides tips on how to create suitable characters for horror-themed Pathfinder RPG adventures. It also touches on how you, as a player, can participate in horrorthemed games in ways that make the story more unnerving for everyone at the game table.

Participating in Horror Adventures First and foremost, understand that horror games are meant to be creepy. If you don’t want to risk being actually frightened, you don’t have to play. If you do want to play, make sure you’re familiar with the Horror Games and Consent section on page 190. Aside from their macabre themes, many horror games involve a different, intentionally darker sort of storytelling than other Pathfinder games. In a horror-themed game, the GM is juggling her story and the game’s rules to not just tell a story, but to create an atmosphere of dread within the game. Joking around out-of-character and getting distracted can wreck the mood the GM works to create. Laughter relieves tension, which might be exactly what the GM is trying to foster. At the start of your horror game, point out this section to the GM and have her answer the question: How serious do you want the game to be?

Building Horror Characters Characters in horror-themed campaigns are usually no less skilled or powerful than those in other Pathfinder RPG campaigns. The GM might also have special guidelines or expectations for the game’s characters— particularly in the cases of supposedly fearless classes, like paladins—so make sure that you and she are on the same page regarding character creation before you get to work. During the process of creating your character, also keep this question in mind: What is my character afraid of ? This isn’t something that’s going to come back and make your character weaker; it’s a consideration to help you get into your character’s head. Probably the biggest difference between horror adventures and other games is that they encourage you to have a more intimate understanding of your character as an individual, not just as an assemblage of numbers. Take a look at the sidebar on page 9 and consider working some of those elements into your thoughts about your character. These story elements will help your GM involve

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Horror Characters your character more deeply in the story, and help you as a player understand what your character fears and how your character might confront or avoid those fears.

Plan to Be Frightened Characters who aren’t afraid of anything—or who are incapable of emotion—are the worst characters to play in a horror adventure. If the slasher bursts onto the scene and no one’s startled or frightened, that’s a bad sign for a horror game. Fight-or-flight responses, instant reactions, and expressions of revulsion are key components of a terrifying scene. In horror adventures, it is the GM’s job to set up grim scenarios, and it is part of your job to consider how your character would actually react to these situations. That doesn’t mean your character needs to be a shrieking coward, though. Your character likely is skilled with weapons or has the power to magically manipulate reality. By the same token, your character should also be a person. In the face of a terrifying encounter, consider how your character would respond. If you’re not sure, think about your own reactions when to being frightened or unsettled in the past. If you decide that your character would probably have some sort of startled reaction to a scene, consider expressing that. Your character’s actions might even intersect with specific game rules. As such, here’s a list of reactions to frightening situations common among Pathfinder characters. Sometimes your reaction will be strong or important enough to warrant flight or a moment of shocked paralysis, but in other cases you just want it to be flavorful and not impede a more strategic response. Cast a Protective Spell: You gird yourself with magic. Draw a Weapon: Usually done while taking a step back, you both prepare for and distance yourself from danger. Gape: You hold your ground, but look on in shock. Guard: Moving into position between the threat and an ally, you try to prevent another from seeing the scene. Pray/Swear: You call upon the gods or verbally express shock. Retreat: You seek escape if the situation is overwhelming. Screaming might also be an obvious reaction, but that tends to be the domain of victims, not heroes (though, everyone has the occasional less-than-heroic moment). Retreating also seems distinctly unheroic, but in a horror game, that might occasionally be the prudent choice, especially if it is clear that a threat outmatches your group. Remember that in horror games, combat is not always be the surest path to victory.

Roleplaying Fear When your character confronts a shocking scene, ask yourself what your character would do, what you would want to do, and what you would really do. These questions often have different answers. Let those answers influence how you react. Alternatively, you might hang on to the first thing

Aspects of Horror Heroes The GM is telling a story and wants to include you in it. Consider including one or more of the following aspects and let your GM know so she can work them into her stories. Have a Goal: Strive to be the best at something, to create something, to see a place, to get married, or to achieve some other goal. Whatever it is, have something you want above all other things. Have a Reputation: Maybe you’re a great juggler, or maybe you slipped on the stairs in front of the whole town. Whatever it is, it’s something locals remember about you. Have a Friend: Whether a friend from school, a coworker, an army buddy, or someone you saved, have someone you’re close to and whom you wish well. Have a Home: It might be a neighborhood you love, your parent’s house, or a room you rent; in any case, it’s the place you call home. Have a Signature Item: A signature item is something that is recognizably yours, be it a weapon with a distinctive grip, a piece of jewelry, a lucky charm, or your favorite scarf. Have a Problem: Maybe you don’t have any money, a member of your family is sick, or you’re trying to get home. Whatever the issue is, you’re doing your best to solve it. Have a Secret: Maybe you can’t read, left your crewmates to die, or made your long-lost sister run away. This should be something that would embarrass or endanger you if others found out. Have a Reason to Be Brave: Maybe it’s to be like your hero, maybe it’s to repay a debt, maybe it’s for your child, but have a reason to occasionally face your fears.

that comes to mind, emulating more instinctual reactions to horror. Frightened or distraught people don’t make the best decisions, so don’t be afraid to make a snap judgment, act rashly, or react without consulting the group. In any case, your choice of action should usually be whatever you think will be the most fun or interesting for the entire group.

Conspiring with the GM Sometimes, your choices might mean playing along with the GM. The GM is not your opponent—she’s the conductor of a symphony in which you’re a star performer. If she seems to be hinting hard toward a course of action, consider going along with it or mentioning to the whole group why you don’t want to. The GM might also use any number of “special effects” during a horror game, such as providing certain characters with information only they know or asking to roll your dice for you in a specific situation. If that happens, oblige your GM. It could mean nothing or it could portend terrible things, but whatever the case, your GM isn’t trying to cheat you. You’re all just trying to make the game more fun.

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Fear In a game where terrible things lurk in the darkness and horrors crawl forth from nightmares to plague the living, the rules for fear are an important part of play. To help bring an appropriate atmosphere to the table, the following rules broaden the levels of fear and allow fear to have a greater impact on your character and the story.

LEVELS OF FEAR The existing rules for fear offer three levels of fear, each one represented by a condition: shaken, frightened, and panicked. The following system expands the various states of fear into seven levels, divided into two groups (lesser fear and greater fear). The three levels of lesser fear—spooked, shaken, and scared—cause you to take penalties, but you are still ultimately in control. The four levels of greater fear— frightened, panicked, terrified, and horrified—cause you to progressively lose control of your character. When you are subject to a fear effect whose level exceeds your current fear level, your fear level increases to that level. If you are subject to a fear effect of a level equal to or lower than your current fear level, your fear level usually increases by one. However, multiple lesser fear effects can’t force you to progress from a lesser fear level to a greater one. If you are scared and are subject to an additional lesser fear effect, you are staggered for 1 round, rather than becoming frightened. You can, however, accept the frightened condition rather than be staggered while scared if you prefer (such as if you actually want to run away). For example, Merisiel is exploring a haunted graveyard. Her GM declares she is spooked by her surroundings. She falls into a sinkhole filled with rotting corpses, which would also make her spooked. If she fails her Will save, her fear level increases to shaken. Later, after dealing with gruesome undead, she is scared and facing off against an evil cultist who casts doom, which causes the shaken condition, on her. If she fails her save against the spell, she is staggered for 1 round (rather than frightened), since shaken is a lesser fear effect.

Lesser Fear Fear begins as a shiver down your spine, but soon grows. 1. Spooked: The nature of your surroundings or events that you have witnessed makes you uneasy. You take a –2 penalty on saving throws against fear effects and on Perception checks, as your mind conjures potential horrors in every shadow. However, you are ready to face danger, and gain a +1 circumstance bonus on initiative checks. 2. Shaken: Fear has taken hold of you and you are no longer thinking or acting clearly. You take a –2 penalty on attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks. 3. Scared: You are noticeably afraid, jumping at shadows and easily panicked by odd sights and unexplained noises.

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You take all of the penalties of the shaken condition, except the penalty on saves against fear effects becomes –4. In addition, if being subject to a lesser fear effect would increase your fear level, you are staggered for 1 round instead.

Greater Fear At these levels, your fear begins to overwhelm you. 4. Frightened: You are so afraid that you must flee from the source of your fear. On your turn, you must move away from any source of fear you perceive. Once you can no longer perceive any source of fear, you can act as normal, but you still take all the penalties of the shaken condition. You can use special abilities, such as spells and equipment, to flee and must resort to such abilities if they seem like the only way to escape. If you flee from the source of your fear and it later reappears while you are still frightened, you must immediately begin fleeing again. If unable to flee, you can fight. 5. Panicked: This functions as the frightened condition, but you drop anything held whenever you are forced to flee and you flee in a random direction. In addition, you treat all sources of danger as fear sources and must flee from them as well. If unable to flee, you cower in fear. 6. Terrified: This functions as panicked, but you do not treat any other character as an ally and thus must attempt saving throws against spells that allow them, even if the spells are beneficial. If unable to flee, you cower in fear. In addition, once you have fled from fear, you do not act as normal. Instead, each round you roll on the following table to determine your course of action. d% 1–25

Result Continue to flee, moving away from any known source of danger. 26–50 Find a place nearby to hide, using Stealth as normal. You do nothing until you are discovered (and forced to run again) or you are no longer terrified. 51–75 Lash out at the nearest creature, even an ally, attacking it with whatever weapon is available. 76–100 Do nothing. If you get this result in two consecutive rounds, you no longer need to roll on this chart starting on the third round and can act as normal unless you encounter a source of fear or danger, in which case you are still terrified and act accordingly.

7. Horrified: You are transfixed with fear and can take no actions. You take a –2 penalty to your AC, are flat-footed (even if you normally cannot be), and are considered helpless.

Fear Duration Using this system can make the tracking of your overall fear level a bit more complicated. Track each fear effect separately, evaluating your current fear level whenever an effect is added or removed, starting with the most severe effect and adding

1

Horror Characters

levels on top of that for each new effect. Remember that lesser fear effects cannot add up to a greater fear effect, regardless of their number, and the staggered condition that can result from being scared and then suffering another lesser fear effect applies at the moment when the new fear effect begins (not when it expires). For example, Ezren becomes subject to an effect that causes him to be shaken for 1 minute and another that causes him to be panicked for 1 round. On the 1st round, his fear increases to panicked. On the following 9 rounds, he is shaken. If, on the 3rd round, he becomes spooked for 1  minute, he becomes scared for 7 rounds (the overlap between the spooked condition and the remaining rounds of the shaken condition), then spooked for 3 rounds.

Adding Fear This revised fear system is meant to work seamlessly with the existing rules for fear, so GMs should use this system as an opportunity to add new fear effects to their games, including those derived from the environment and various situations. For example, entering an abandoned asylum during a moonless night might cause all the characters to gain the

Fear Immunity A number of creatures and characters are immune to fear. While that is fine for most fantasy adventure campaigns, it can prove problematic for horror-themed campaigns. GMs running such games should consider changing fear immunity to a form of resistance. Creatures and characters with fear resistance track their fear levels as normal, but they take the penalties of the fear level two steps lower than their actual level (thus, they suffer no effect at all unless they are at least scared). Furthermore, effects that normally cause a character to become spooked or shaken don’t increase such a character’s fear to a higher level.

spooked condition, while discovering a cabinet filled with gnawed bones might cause a character to become scared for 1 minute after a failing a Will save. GMs not using this system should use the next-lower condition from the Core Rulebook if one of the new conditions appears, so anything that would normally inflict the spooked condition has no effect, scared becomes shaken, and terrified or horrified become panicked.

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Sanity An abundance of horrors can scar a being. Wounds and fatigue can ravage the flesh. Poisons and venoms can putrefy a creature from within. Curses and hexes can assault the body and soul through supernatural means. But of all the horrors a hero might face, few are as debilitating or insidious as those that assault her sanity. The Pathfinder Roleplaying Game already features many threats that can erode a character’s sanity. The insanity spell can cause a character to act confused until its effect is removed. Insanity mist is an inhaled poison that deals Wisdom damage. The allip, an undead creature created when a soul is lost to madness, features several madnessthemed abilities. For some games, presenting the weakening of sanity and the onset of madness as assaults on a creature’s Wisdom score or the randomness of the confusion condition might be enough. But running a horror-themed game often necessitates a more robust and nuanced system. In the following system, the mental resilience of a creature is based on the totality of her mental being and mental strengths, rather than her weaknesses, improving her chances to weather and triumph against a vast array of sanity-threatening horrors.

Sanity Score, Edge, and Thresholds Each creature has a sanity score, along with a sanity edge and a sanity threshold. These values depend on the creature’s current ability scores and ability damage. Increases and penalties to ability scores (even temporary increases and penalties) adjust these numbers. Each discrete instance in which a creature takes 1 or more points of sanity damage is called a sanity attack, regardless of what caused the sanity damage. Since effects that deal sanity damage are always mind-affecting effects, mindless creatures are immune, and do not have a sanity score, sanity edge, or sanity threshold. Sanity Score: Your sanity score is equal to the sum of your mental ability scores (Charisma, Intelligence, and Wisdom) minus any ability damage taken to those ability scores.

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Sanity Threshold: Your sanity threshold is equal to the bonus of your highest mental ability score minus any ability damage to that score (minimum 0). When you experience a sanity attack, if the sanity damage from that attack equals or exceeds your sanity threshold, you gain a madness (see page 182), either lesser or greater depending on the relation of your current sanity damage and your sanity edge (see below). If your sanity threshold is 0, you always suffer a madness upon taking 1 or more points of sanity damage. Sanity Edge: Your sanity edge is equal to 1/2 your sanity score. When you experience a sanity attack that causes you to gain a madness (see Sanity Threshold above), compare your total amount of sanity damage to your edge to determine the potency of the madness. If your current sanity damage is less than your sanity edge, then you manifest a lesser madness. If your current sanity damage is equal to or greater than your sanity edge, you manifest a greater madness instead. More information on madness, both greater and lesser, can be found on page 182. Furthermore, when you accrue total sanity damage equal to or greater than your edge, any dormant lesser madnesses you have manifest again.

Effects of Sanity Damage When you experience a potential sanity attack, you must typically succeed at a Will saving throw to shake off or reduce the sanity attack’s damage. Whether this saving throw is successful or not, if the sanity damage from a single sanity attack is equal to or greater than your sanity threshold, you gain a madness (see page 182) with a potency based on the relation between your total sanity damage accrued and your sanity edge (lesser if the total sanity damage is below your sanity edge, greater otherwise). In most cases, GMs should choose a madness that reflects the horror faced or your deep fears and potential mental breaking points rather than rolling on tables. For instance, if you gain a lesser madness due to an encounter with a mummy or some other undead that features a fear effect, it might make sense to choose the phobia madness. If you already suffer from delirium and gain a greater madness, it might make sense for that madness to be increased to schizophrenia. However, when a random madness is appropriate, the GM can

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Horror Characters generate one by rolling on Table 5–1 (for a lesser madness) or Table 5–2 (for a greater madness). You are afflicted with a madness until that madness is removed by the methods described in Chapter 5. You may not always manifest the madness, though. If you are afflicted with madness and then are healed of all sanity damage, all of your madnesses become dormant until you accrue further sanity damage. Typically, a dormant madness does not affect you at all, but some madnesses feature an effect that occurs only while that madness is dormant. A lesser madness that becomes dormant does not manifest again until you take sanity damage equal to or greater than your sanity edge. A greater madness stays dormant only as long as your total sanity damage remains at 0. Dormant madnesses, no matter the potency, can be removed only by miracle or wish. Lastly, if your total sanity damage equals or exceeds your sanity score, you become insane as per insanity (no saving throw) until all your sanity damage is healed and all your madnesses are cured. While Pathfinder RPG Horror Adventures introduces a number of spells, feats, monsters, or other effects that deal sanity damage, the GM is also encouraged to create her own sanity-damage-dealing effects in her horror game. The table below gives a number of examples of situations that might cause a character to take sanity damage.

Reducing Sanity Damage Sanity damage can be reduced in a number of ways. The first is with time and rest. For every 7 full days of uninterrupted rest, you can reduce the sanity damage you have taken by amount of equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum 1). Instead of relying on your own strength of personality to reduce the effects of sanity damage, you can seek out a single confidante, mentor, priest, or other advisor. You must meet with that person regularly (at least 8 hours per day) and gain guidance during the 7 days of rest. At the end of the rest period, the ally can attempt a Wisdom or Intelligence check (whichever score is higher) with a DC Situation The first time a character encounters a dead body The first time a character encounters a gruesome scene of death The first time a character encounters a horrifying creature* Each time a character encounters a qlippoth or other creature with a particularly horrific appearance Each time a character encounters a Great Old One

DC 10 12

Expanded Sanity Effects dealing sanity damage and the madnesses in Chapter 4 are mind-affecting effects, and as such certain creature types are immune to them. In horror games, the GM may want to make an exception to this, at least in the case of sanity damage and madnesses, allowing undead and even some kinds of plant and construct creatures to feel the effects of insanity. The GM should be careful to determine whether the creature’s immunity to mind-affecting effects compensates for an extremely poor Will save and potentially give a bonus on Will saves against sanity damage to such creatures.

Tenacious Sanity In a particularly horror-themed game, the GM may consider removing some or all of the magical options to reduce sanity damage, relying on rest alone to recover sanity. For the most terror, she could even make sanity damage irrecoverable. In these cases, the GM should consider increasing the characters’ sanity scores and sanity edges to ensure the heroes can make it through enough of the adventure before they snap.

of 15 if your sanity damage is below your sanity edge or 20 otherwise. If the ally succeeds at this check, you can add the ally’s Wisdom or Intelligence modifier (whichever is higher) to the amount of sanity damage you remove. Sanity damage can also be reduced with magic. A single casting of lesser restoration reduces sanity damage by 1d2 points up to once per day; restoration reduces sanity damage by 2d4 points up to once per day; and heal reduces the amount of sanity damage by 3d4 points up to once per day. Greater restoration, psychic surgeryOA, and limited wish reduce your total sanity damage to 0 if your total sanity damage was already below your sanity edge; otherwise, these spells reduce your total sanity damage to 1 point below your sanity edge. Miracle and wish instantly reduce your sanity damage to 0, regardless of whether your total sanity damage was below your sanity edge. Failure 1d3 sanity damage 1d6 sanity damage

Success 0 sanity damage 1 sanity damage

10 + CR of Sanity damage equal to Sanity damage equal to the creature 1/2 the creature’s CR 1/4 the creature’s CR 10 + CR of Sanity damage equal to Sanity damage equal to the creature the creature’s CR 1/2 the creature’s CR 15 + CR of Sanity damage equal to Sanity damage equal to the creature double the creature’s CR the creature’s CR * Horrifying creatures are typically aberrations, evil or chaotic outsiders, and undead. “Each time” could mean the first time for each creature type, or each time a creature encounters a new kind of specific creature of that type (for example, the first time a creature encounters a skeleton and then again the first time the character encounters a wraith), at the GM’s discretion.

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Corruption Even the most pure creature can succumb to tides of darkness. What begins as a minor malady or errant idea can grow into something malignant—a spreading corruption that can obscure your morals, cloud your judgment, and ultimately devour your soul. There are a number of different types of corruptions, from the hunger of vampirism to the horrifying transformation of the promethean. Living with a corruption is often a terrifying experience, but also offers the temptation of dark gifts. Hosts sometimes choose not to fight the corruption, but rather accept it and allow it to progress. These unfortunate folk either succumb to lust for the corruption’s power or attempt to control the stain of corruption and use its gifts for some greater good. Each corruption detailed on the pages that follow features a general description, followed by its catalysts and manifestations. The catalyst section explains how a creature might contract the corruption, how it progresses, and how it can be cured. When a creature first contracts a corruption and its manifestation level increases, the corrupted creature gains manifestations. Manifestations carry both beneficial gifts and detrimental stains. Also, as the manifestation level increases, the stains and gifts of previous manifestations might grow more powerful. Lastly, as a creature’s manifestation level increases, so does the possibility of the corruption taking hold entirely, defiling its host forever.

GLOSSARY A short list of terms related to corruptions follows. Catalyst: The inciting incident that corrupted you in the game’s story, combined with ways you can progress toward total corruption. Corruption: A dark manifestation of evil or alien influence that changes you over time. Corruption Stage: A measure of how close you are to falling to your corruption. Think of your corruption stage as how much your soul has been altered by your corruption. At corruption stage 3, you succumb and are no longer a PC. Gift: A benefit granted by a manifestation of your corruption. Manifestation: A manifestation is a way in which your corruption becomes more prominent. You gain manifestations roughly every 2 character levels you live with your corruption. Each manifestation has both a gift and a stain, although you might not get both. Manifestation Level: This is a measure of how much your corruption has changed your body and mind. Your manifestation level equals the number of manifestations you have. Stain: A negative effect granted by a manifestation of your corruption.

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CONTRACTING A CORRUPTION The catalyst section of each corruption offers a number of possible methods for contracting that corruption. Once you contract a corruption, you immediately gain a manifestation. Your manifestation level becomes 1, and your number of manifestations and your manifestation level can increase as described in Manifestation Level on page 15. You also draw closer to losing your soul, as represented by your corruption stage. This is described under The Corruption’s Progress. Multiple Corruptions: Typically, you can have only one corruption. If some exceedingly rare condition arises that would cause you to be affected by more than one, you typically gain stains from both corruptions’ manifestations but gifts from only the first one you contracted, and the secondary corruption also grants manifestations at a slower rate. When the text refers to your manifestation level, use only your manifestation level for the second corruption, not the sum of all your manifestation levels.

MANIFESTATIONS You gain a manifestation of your curse when you first contract a corruption, and gain more at later levels. Each manifestation includes both a gift and a stain (though campaign variants can change how you acquire these gifts and stains as described in the Variants section below). Many manifestations have prerequisites that limit them to characters farther along in their corruptions. A prerequisite marked with an asterisk (*) is another manifestation in the same section. Unless stated otherwise, the DC for gifts that allow a saving throw is equal to 10 + 1/2 your level + your manifestation level (see below). You can have a maximum of nine manifestations.

Variants A corruption’s gift and stain don’t have to manifest together. Your GM can use the following variants to alter how gifts and stains are gained. Useful Corruption: In this form of campaign, your corruption’s gifts allow you to fight sinister forces. You select which manifestation to take when you gain the corruption and with each increase to your manifestation level. You receive the gift, but you don’t have to take the stain. If you refuse the stain, that manifestation doesn’t increase your manifestation level, which could prevent you from qualifying for additional manifestations. You can accept the stain of your manifestations at any time, immediately increasing your manifestation level. Vile Corruption: In this form of campaign, corruptions are terrible burdens to be purged as soon as possible. When you contract a corruption or your manifestation level increases, the GM decides which manifestation you gain. You always acquire the stain, but you can choose not to take the gift. If you refuse the gift, you gain a +1 circumstance bonus on

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Horror Characters

saving throws related to the corruption progressing. For each additional gift you refuse, this bonus increases by 1. You can accept the gifts of your manifestations at any time, but once you do, you immediately lose the corresponding bonus on saving throws.

MANIFESTATION LEVEL Each creature with a corruption has a manifestation level, which is normally equal to the number of manifestations the corrupted creature has (see Variants for exceptions). Sometimes gifts and stains become more extreme as a creature’s manifestation level increases. You gain a new manifestation roughly every 2 levels. GMs can introduce corruptions as early as your 1st character level. A standard rate of corruption starts with a PC gaining the first stain at 1st level, the second at 3rd level, and another at 5th, 7th, 9th, and so on. Because you are limited to nine manifestations, your manifestation level can’t exceed 9th. This standard rate of acquisition is a guideline rather than a strict rule. Many corruptions feature story considerations that could speed up or slow down the process, and individual

GMs can alter the speed to serve the campaign’s narrative. When introducing a corruption at higher levels, a GM could accelerate the rate at which the first manifestations are acquired or grant multiple manifestations at once. In any case, the GM decides when a corruption progresses, not you (though variants can alter this, as described in Variants).

THE CORRUPTION’S PROGRESS Every corruption has an associated saving throw. Each time you fail it, your corruption progresses to the next corruption stage. Each stage causes a more significant change within you, until you become completely irredeemable at corruption stage 3. When you gain a corruption, you begin at what is effectively stage 0, with no direct penalties. You must attempt a saving throw when you are being pulled toward darkness, and these saves are usually spread over a long period of time (often weeks or months). As such, abilities that allow or force rerolls (or rolling twice and taking the higher or lower result) can never be used on these saving throws, and temporary bonuses don’t apply on the progression saving throw, even if they are long-lasting.

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Accursed A foul curse has a deep hold on your body and soul. Your resentment toward the one who cursed you has taken on a life of its own. You notice slights against you by everyone around you, and can gain solace only by punishing them.

CATALYST The corruption begins with a hateful curse, visitations from a night hag, or another relentless magical torment. These curses most often originate with hags, witches, gods, fey, depraved genies, or insidious divs. Even if the curse is lifted, its corruption lingers upon your soul.

Progression The progression is tied to spiteful actions you take that have lasting consequences. When you inflict a permanent or long-lasting curse, such as bestow curse, or engage in brutal retaliation (what constitutes brutal retaliation is up to the GM, but usually includes disproportionate acts of violence against living creatures), you must attempt a Will saving throw (DC = 15 + your manifestation level). You must also attempt a saving throw after any month in which you have failed to perform a number of spiteful retaliations equal to or greater than your manifestation level. If you fail any of these saving throws, you must use the most severe punishment at your disposal against the next creature that wrongs you, even in a minor way. If you fail the save but your allies or others prevent you from exacting your retribution for three consecutive slights, you shake off this urge. You avoid having to exact retribution for the time being, and your corruption doesn’t progress. However, the DC of the Will save against your corruption progressing increases by 2. These increases stack each time you shake off this urge, and they last until your corruption reaches the next corruption stage. Corruption Stage 1: The first time you engage in disproportionate punishment (voluntarily or because of a failed save), your alignment shifts one step toward evil and your face changes, making you memorably ugly or beautiful. Corruption Stage 2: The second time you engage in this behavior, your alignment shifts another step toward evil and you take on an inhuman appearance, increasingly resembling the type of creature that cursed you. Corruption Stage 3: The third time you engage in this behavior, you are utterly consumed by your hatred and become an NPC under the GM’s control.

Removing the Corruption Lifting the corruption requires breaking the original curse and either killing or earning forgiveness from the one who laid the curse. If you killed or permanently impaired any creatures unfairly, you must undo the harm and atone.

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MANIFESTATIONS The following are manifestations of the accursed corruption.

Baleful Glare You can weaken foes with a glare. Prerequisite: Manifestation level 6th. Gift: Once per day, when you successfully use Intimidate to demoralize a creature within 30 feet, you can curse that target as a swift action. The victim must succeed at a Will save or be staggered permanently. If you use this ability on a creature that is still under the effects of your baleful glare from a previous day, the target must succeed at a Fortitude saving throw or be paralyzed with fear for 3 days. At the end of each day the target spends paralyzed with fear, it must succeed at another Fortitude saving throw or die. Your effective caster level for these curses is equal to your character level. Stain: One eye becomes bulging and bloodshot or each eye turns a different color. You take a –4 penalty on Perception checks. This transformation can’t be hidden by magic.

Cold Iron Allergy Your skin is as hardened as your heart. Prerequisite: Manifestation level 4th. Gift: You gain an amount of damage reduction equal to 1/2 your manifestation level. This DR is overcome by cold iron. Stain: Whenever you touch cold iron, including being struck by a cold iron weapon, you are sickened for 1 round. Immunities don’t prevent this sickened condition, and you can’t remove it early by any means. You can attempt to hide this aversion from foes with a Bluff check opposed by their Sense Motive checks.

Cruel Deceiver You can weave magical lies to set victims up for a downfall. Prerequisite: Manifestation level 2nd. Gift: You gain a +2 bonus on Bluff and Disguise checks. You can use dancing lights, disguise self, and ghost sound once per day each as a spell-like ability. You can perfectly mimic the sound of any animal or voice you have ever heard. At manifestation level 3rd, the bonus doubles. At manifestation level 5th, you can use mirage arcana once per day as a spell-like ability. Stain: You can never speak or otherwise communicate the truth. You can still communicate by various methods, such as uttering insignificant lies, obvious lies, or nonstatements.

Grim Fate You can twist the strands of fate to your desires. Gift: Once per day as an immediate action, you can reroll an ability check, attack roll, caster level check, saving throw, or skill check after learning the result. At manifestation level 8th, you can also lay a curse of unluck upon a creature (Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook 557) once per day. This takes a standard action, and must target a creature you can see within 30 feet.

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Horror Characters Stain: You can’t benefit from morale bonuses. You take a –2 penalty on Perform and Sense Motive checks. At manifestation level 3rd, the penalty doubles.

Horrific Shock You can surprise a foe with overwhelming horror. Gift: When you damage a creature on the surprise round, it becomes shaken for 1 round unless it succeeds at a Will save. Stain: You take on a horrible appearance. You take a –2 penalty on Diplomacy, Handle Animal, and wild empathy checks against creatures who can see you. At manifestation level 3rd, the penalty doubles.

Spiteful Transformation You can transform foes into mere beasts. Prerequisite: Manifestation level 5th. Gift: Add 1 to the DCs of your spells and abilities that have the curse descriptor (Pathfinder RPG Ultimate Magic 137). Once per day as a standard action, you can use baleful polymorph as a spell-like ability, with a caster level equal to your character level. This counts as a curse, and the DC of any caster level check to remove it increases by 5. Stain: You take a –2 penalty on Will saves. If you have this manifestation’s gift, using your baleful polymorph curse negates the penalty until the next day.

weapons. Your spells with somatic or emotion (Pathfinder RPG Occult Adventures 144) components have a failure chance of 5%. If you have a spell failure chance from other sources, add the chances together.

Wish Peddler Like a fey or genie, you can twist another creature’s wishes. Gift: Once per day as a full-round action, you can duplicate the effect of a witch spell of a spell level lower than your manifestation level. This spell cannot have a material or focus component costing more than 1 gp or a casting time longer than 1 standard action. The spell’s effect must fulfill, in part or in whole, a wish verbally stated by a humanoid creature you can hear (other than yourself ). Stain: If you cast or use a harmless spell or spell-like ability when you are in combat, you must succeed at a concentration check (DC = 20 + double the spell level) or lose the spell. This also applies to nonharmless spells you cast that target only allies. Additionally, you must attempt saves against your allies’ spells and spell-like abilities, even if they are harmless.

Undying Hatred You can’t rest while those you hate go unpunished. Gift: Once per day, if you would die from hit point damage, instead your hit point total becomes –1 and you stabilize. This ability doesn’t work against death effects. Observers believe you to be dead unless they study you closely and succeed at a DC 25 Heal check. After 1 minute, you regain 1 hit point and regain consciousness. Stain: When you begin your turn with a helpless foe within 5 feet of your reach, you must attempt a Will save. If you fail, you must attempt a coup de grace against that foe this round if possible. The DC of this Will save is equal to 15 + your manifestation level.

Weakening Claws Your fingernails grow into talons. Prerequisite: Manifestation level 3rd. Gift: Your nails grow into claw natural weapons that deal 1d3 points of damage if you’re Medium (1d2 if Small). Once per day, you can make a weakening claw attack as a standard action. If you hit, you inflict a permanent –4 penalty on the target’s Strength score. The victim can halve the penalty and reduce the duration to 24 hours with a successful Fort save. Stain: You take a –2 penalty on Disable Device checks, Sleight of Hand checks, and attacks with manufactured

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Deep One The waves call to you, like a siren’s song echoing across crashing surf.

CATALYST The corruption of the deep ones typically comes in two varieties. The most common source of deep one corruption is having dormant deep one blood running through your veins. Exposure to the magic of cults dedicated to Great Old Ones like Cthulhu could awaken this dormant lineage within you, beginning your transformation into a deep one. Likewise, exposure to the presence of deep ones themselves can cause you to heed a call to deep waters that ends with a torturous transformation. Less common means of contracting a deep one corruption include ritualistic transformation, curses, or—in extreme cases—willing copulation with a deep one.

Progression Once the deep one corruption has taken root, the summons calling you to the deep ones’ cold, lightless realm becomes a constant thrum in the back of your mind. Exposure to sea water becomes increasingly important to you. Each day that

you don’t spend at least 1 hour per manifestation level fully immersed in the ocean or a salt-water sea, you must succeed at a Will save (DC = 15 + your manifestation level). You also need to attempt such a Will save whenever you are a target of (or in the area of ) a divine spell or spell-like ability with the evil descriptor. Corruption Stage 1: The first time you fail, you lose control of yourself for 24 hours. When you regain your senses, you find yourself in the sea or an ocean, or at least on your way to such a place if you were too far away to reach it. Either way, your alignment shifts one step towards chaotic evil. Corruption Stage 2: The second time you fail, you lose control again, and you find that you have made contact with an alien entity during the missing time. Your alignment shifts to chaotic evil and your race changes to deep one hybrid (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 5 70), if it wasn’t already. If you are already over the venerable age for a deep one hybrid (60 years), you experience the final change as per the race’s ability, becoming an NPC deep one under the GM’s control. Corruption Stage 3: The third time you fail, you experience the final change early, becoming an NPC deep one under the GM’s control.

Removing the Corruption Removing the deep one corruption might require psychic conditioning away from compulsions regarding water and necromantic rituals to expunge the deep one blood from your veins. The ritual might also require slaying the deep one who sired your bloodline.

MANIFESTATIONS The following are manifestations of the deep one corruption.

Bloodthirst You gain a bite attack and can taste blood in the water. Prerequisites: Deep adaptation*, loathsome gills*. Gift: You gain a bite attack as a primary natural weapon. This bite attack deals 1d6 points of damage if your size is Medium (1d4 if Small). Additionally, you gain the scent ability when underwater and can track a creature that travels underwater using a Perception check rather than a Survival check, so long as it was bleeding (either suffering from a bleed effect or having taken at least 1 point of piercing or slashing damage that was neither healed nor treated with a successful Heal check). Stain: Your toothy maw distorts your speech, and your thoughts flit between potential prey. You take a 15% spell failure chance for spells with verbal or thought (Occult Adventures 144) components and a –2 penalty on all Bluff, Diplomacy, Disguise, Handle Animal, and Perform checks.

Call of the Deep Your slimy touch robs your victims of breath.

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Horror Characters Prerequisites: Manifestation level 7th, claws of the deep*, swimmer in the deep*. Gift: Once per day for every 2 manifestation levels you possess, you can attempt a touch attack that causes your opponent to suffocate. If this attack hits, the target must succeed at a Fortitude save or it gains the ability to breathe water, but also immediately loses the ability to breathe air and begins to suffocate unless it holds its breath. This effect lasts for a number of minutes equal to your manifestation level, and after each minute, the victim can attempt another Fortitude save to negate the effect. The DC of the save increases by 2 every minute. Stain: You require constant submersion in salt water. If you spend more than 1 day without fully submerging yourself in such water, you suffer internal organ failure, painful cracking of the skin, and death within 4d6 hours.

Claws of the Deep Disgusting, translucent claws grow from your fingers. Prerequisites: Manifestation level 3rd, swimmer in the deep*. Gift: You gain two claw natural attacks. These claws deal 1d4 points of damage if your size is Medium (1d3 if Small). Stain: You exude a strong odor of low tide. This allows creatures with the scent ability to notice you from twice the usual distance, and makes it extremely difficult—and sometimes outright impossible—to disguise yourself. You also take a –4 penalty on your Diplomacy and Perform checks against creatures without the aquatic subtype. Your supernatural scent is not affected by the negate aromaAPG spell.

Deep Adaptation You are acclimated to deep ocean pressures and temperatures. Prerequisite: Loathsome gills*. Gift: You gain cold resistance 5. At manifestation level 6th, you can survive safely at any ocean depth. Stain: Your flesh peels away to reveal fine, iridescent scales, and your movements become slow and awkward. You take a –2 penalty to your Dexterity score while on land.

Deepsight Your eyes grow accustomed to the dark places of the world. Gift: You gain low-light vision. At manifestation level 5th, you gain darkvision with a range of 60 feet, or if you already have darkvision, its range increases by 30 feet. Stain: Your eyes’ reflective sheen causes light sensitivity.

Landwalker Your journey to the depths presaged your return to dry land. Prerequisites: Manifestation level 7th, loathsome gills*. Gift: You gain the aquatic subtype and the amphibious special quality. You gain a swim speed equal to half your land speed. If you have the swimmer in the deep manifestation, increase your swim speed by 10 feet instead.

Stain: Your hair falls out in patches and your skin takes on a slimy sheen. You take a –2 penalty to your Charisma score.

Loathsome Gills You grow gills at your jawline. Gift: You can hold your breath underwater for 10 minutes per point of Constitution you have. At manifestation level 3rd, you can breathe underwater indefinitely. At manifestation level 7th, you can no longer breathe air and must hold your breath when above water (though you can still hold your breath for 10 minutes per point of Constitution you have). Stain: Your gills impose a –4 penalty on Fortitude saves against inhaled poisons and poison effects (like stinking cloud).

Siltsight Your senses are keener underwater. Gift: While underwater, you ignore concealment from silt, muck, and murky water. At manifestation level 5th, you also gain blindsense with a range of 10 feet while underwater. Stain: Your eyes grow bulbous and fishlike. You take a –2 penalty on Perception checks while not underwater.

Slow Aging Your deep one blood runs thick and slowly, arresting aging. Prerequisite: Manifestation level 5th. Gift: You age more slowly than members of your base race. It takes you twice as long to reach middle age, and three times as long to reach both old age and venerable. At manifestation level 8th, you gain a +2 bonus to your Constitution score. Stain: You dream of lost cities in ages primordial and are haunted by strange aeons long since forgotten. You require 16 hours of sleep for a night’s rest and you are incapable of deriving benefit from effects that replace the need for sleep (like a ring of sustenance) or ameliorate, suppress, or remove the effects of lack of sleep.

Swimmer in the Deep The cold depths of the ocean are your home now. Gift: You gain a +4 racial bonus on Swim checks (which doesn’t stack with the +8 racial bonus from having a swim speed) and can take a 10 on Swim checks even while threatened. At manifestation level 3rd, you gain a swim speed equal to half your land speed. At manifestation level 5th, your swim speed is equal to your land speed. If you are a deep one hybrid (Bestiary 5 70), you instead gain a +10-foot enhancement bonus to your swim speed. This increases to a +20-foot enhancement bonus at manifestation level 3rd and to a +30-foot enhancement bonus at manifestation level 5th. Stain: You grow webbing between your fingers and toes and become dissatisfied with life on land. You take a –2 penalty on Dexterity- and Strength-based skill checks and ability checks while on land.

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Ghoul A hunger for the flesh of the living grows more every day, until every sentient creature seems no more than a meal.

CATALYST Ghoul corruption commonly stems from desperate cannibalism, such as surviving a near-death experience by eating friends who perished. You might contract ghoul corruption after recovering from ghoul fever (Bestiary 146), especially if you died from the disease but were raised from the dead before rising as a ghoul.

Progression Each week, you need to consume one portion of flesh from a sentient creature. A creature one size category smaller than you counts as one portion, a creature of your size category counts as four portions, and a creature one size larger counts as 16 portions. The extra meat from Huge or larger creatures spoils quickly enough that it can’t all be consumed within a week. After a week, if you haven’t consumed enough flesh, you must succeed at a Will saving throw (DC = 15 + your manifestation level) each day until you’ve eaten enough. If you fail the save, the next time you rest your corruption takes over and you unconsciously hunt and feed, devouring a living sentient creature completely. In this state, you can’t differentiate between creatures and might consume an innocent; if you do so, your corruption progresses to the next stage. If circumstances make it impossible to feed (such as if you are tied down or in a locale with nothing to feed upon), you start to starve as if you had not eaten in 3 days (Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook 445), and you continue to hunger for flesh and struggle to escape and feed until you have received five times the amount of flesh from sentient creatures you normally require. If your allies are able to restrain and feed you flesh from sentient creatures, your corruption doesn’t progress. However, the DC of the Will save against your corruption progressing increases by 2. These increases stack each time this occurs, and they last until your corruption reaches the next corruption stage. In addition to starvation, close brushes with death also increase your craving for flesh. Whenever you are dropped below 0 hit points, you must attempt a single saving throw as if you hadn’t eaten enough flesh that week. Corruption Stage 1: Once you feed on an innocent sentient creature—either willingly or because you failed a saving throw—your alignment shifts one step toward evil and spells that detect undead sense you, though the peculiar result they return informs the caster that you’re still a living creature. Other spells and effects don’t treat you as undead. Corruption Stage 2: The second time, your alignment shifts another step toward evil and you are affected by spells

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and abilities as if your creature type were undead (including effects like bane and the favored enemy class feature). This doesn’t grant you any of the immunities of being undead, nor does it make you immune to effects that target living creatures or change how negative and positive energy affect you. Corruption Stage 3: The third time, you become an NPC ghoul under the GM’s control.

Removing the Corruption Getting rid of the ghoul corruption typically requires fasting, isolation from creatures that could incite your hunger, and atoning (as per atonement) for the acts that led to the corruption.

MANIFESTATIONS The following are manifestations of the ghoul corruption.

Brain Eater Devouring brains imparts knowledge to you. Prerequisites: Manifestation level 5th, gnashing bite*. Gift: If you eat the brain of a creature with an Intelligence score of 3 or higher, you gain a +2 insight bonus on all skill checks in which the creature possessed ranks for 1 hour. Eating a brain is a full-round action, and the target must be dead or helpless. If the target is alive, you can attempt to eat its brain as a coup de grace attack with your gnashing bite, but you gain the bonus only if your attempt results in the victim’s death. Stain: You take a –4 penalty on saves to resist ghoul corruption.

Corpse Armor Your flesh is unnaturally tough. Gift: You gain a +2 bonus to your natural armor. At manifestation level 5th, this bonus increases by 1. Stain: Your flesh’s corpselike consistency deadens your sensations and makes it harder for you to move. You take a –2 penalty to your Dexterity score.

Diseased Bite Your bite carries a terrible disease Prerequisites: Manifestation level 4th, gnashing bite*. Gift: Creatures damaged by your bite attack must succeed at a Fortitude save or contract ghoul fever (Bestiary 146). A humanoid who dies of ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight, as described in the ghoul fever entry. Stain: Your body has a difficult time fighting off diseases. You take a –4 penalty on Fortitude saves to resist diseases.

Gnashing Bite Your jaw can unhinge and your teeth grow to sharp points. Gift: You gain a bite attack as a primary natural weapon. This bite deals 1d6 points of damage if your size is Medium (1d4 if Small).

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Horror Characters Stain: Your tongue grows long and serpentine. You take a –2 penalty to your Charisma score.

Greater Paralysis Your paralyzing touch is even stronger. Prerequisites: Manifestation level 7th, paralysis*, rending claws*, staggering claw*. Gift: A creature that fails its save against your paralysis manifestation is paralyzed for 1d4 rounds instead of 1 round. Elves are immune to this effect. Stain: Your connection to negative energy is so intense you recoil from its anathema. Whenever you take damage from a positive energy source, you are frightened for 1 round.

Greater Stench of the Grave The smell surrounding you becomes overwhelming. Prerequisites: Manifestation level 6th, corpse armor*, stench of the grave*. Gift: Creatures that fail their saves against your stench of the grave manifestation become nauseated for 1 round before being sickened for 1d6 rounds. Once they have become nauseated in this way, they are immune to the nausea effect of your stench for 1 hour. A creature that succeeds at its save becomes immune to both your stench’s nausea and sickened conditions for 24 hours. Stain: Your stench is so great that it makes interacting with you almost impossible, as others retch and vomit just from being near you. Living creatures with a sense of smell refuse to engage with you at all, so you fail checks like Diplomacy and Handle Animal with living creatures before you can even attempt them.

Paralysis A slash from your claws can render a creature helpless. Prerequisites: Manifestation level 6th, rending claws*, staggering claw*. Gift: When you confirm a critical hit against a living creature, it must succeed at a Fortitude save or become paralyzed for 1 round. Elves are immune to this effect. Stain: You are inured to negative energy. You are treated as an undead creature when subjected to channeled energy, cure spells, and inflict spells.

Rending Claws You grow vicious claws, perfect for stripping flesh from bone.

Gift: You gain two claw attacks as primary natural weapons. These claws deal 1d4 points of damage if your size is Medium (or 1d3 if you’re Small). Stain: You take a –2 penalty on attacks with manufactured weapons and on all ranged attacks.

Staggering Claw Your touch weakens the muscles of your victims. Prerequisites: Manifestation level 4th, rending claws*. Gift: Once per day per manifestation level, you can make a staggering claw attack as a standard action. If you hit, the target must succeed at a Fortitude save or be staggered for a number of rounds equal to 1/2 your manifestation level. Stain: The flesh on your hands is covered with pustules and blisters, and your hunger begins to devour your emotions. The penalty you take on ranged attacks and attacks with manufactured weapons increases to –4. Your spells with somatic or emotion (Occult Adventures 144) components have a failure chance of 5%. This stacks with any spell failure chances you incur from other sources. (For example, if you were wearing leather armor and casting arcane spells, you would have a 15% spell failure chance.)

Stench of the Grave Your body exudes a stench of decay. Prerequisite: Corpse armor*. Gift: You exude an aura of decay. Creatures that begin their turns adjacent to you are sickened for 1d6 rounds unless they succeed at a Fortitude save. A creature that succeeds can’t be affected by your stench again for 24 hours. At manifestation level 5th, this aura extends out to 10 feet. Stain: The stench of decay you emit allows creatures with scent to notice you from twice the usual distance, and makes it extremely difficult to disguise yourself. Any living creatures that have a sense of smell have their starting attitudes toward you reduced by one step. Your supernatural scent is not affected by the negate aromaAPG spell. Special: Upon taking this manifestation, you must take both the gift and the stain, even with the useful corruption or vile corruption variants (see page 14).

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Hellbound The pit of Hell waits for your damned soul.

CATALYST The hellbound corruption typically takes hold as the result of an infernal contract with a diabolic patron or your fiendish blood. Your soul goes to Hell when you die, though you can be raised from the dead normally.

Progression Your diabolic patron’s portfolio determines what makes your corruption progress. When an opportunity to carry out a significant action that matches the devil’s portfolio comes up, you are tempted to take it. The action might include oppressing people using your authority or tempting someone closer to lawful evil. You must succeed at a Will save (DC = 15 + your manifestation level) or succumb to temptation and perform the action. What counts as significant is up to the GM. Usually, an act that wouldn’t harm anyone doesn’t count. If something prevents you from performing this act, the GM chooses a time over the next week when you’re compelled to further the cause of lawful evil. Corruption Stage 1: The first time you perform a significant act that matches the devil’s portfolio (either willingly or because you failed your save), your alignment shifts one step toward lawful evil (toward evil first, if you aren’t yet evil). Any attempt to raise you from the dead requires a successful caster level check (DC = 15 + double your manifestation level). Corruption Stage 2: The second time you perform such an act, your alignment shifts to lawful evil. Corruption Stage 3: The third time you perform such an act, your contract comes due or you become a thrall to Hell—a living devil under the GM’s control.

Removing the Corruption Gaining release requires destroying your patron, retrieving the payment, and atoning.

MANIFESTATIONS The following are manifestations of the hellbound corruption.

Darkest Desires Your dark patron offers to grant you wishes to tempt you. Prerequisite: Manifestation level 9th. Gift: You can use limited wish once per day as a spell-like ability. It can’t duplicate a spell requiring a material component costing more than 1,000 gp. Each time you get more or less what you wished for (GM’s discretion), you must succeed at a Will save or your corruption progresses to the next stage. Stain: Wishes you make from this manifestation’s gift or your own spells are granted by your patron and interpreted

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from a devil’s perspective. The patron always tries to twist your wish away from your intent and to its own dark ends. Special: Upon receiving this manifestation, you must take both the gift and the stain, even with the useful corruption or vile corruption variants.

Devil’s Horns Horns grow upon your brow. Gift: You gain a gore attack that deals 1d4 points of damage if your size is Medium (1d3 if Small). These horns appear in any form you take, so you still retain this gore attack in any form you assume with a polymorph effect. Stain: You gain horns that can’t be hidden by magic, but can be hidden by mundane means. Anyone who sees the horns recognizes them as unnatural. If someone leaves a loophole in an agreement with you that would allow you to gain an advantage, you must exploit it. This typically counts as an act that might progress your corruption. Special: Upon receiving this manifestation, you must take both the gift and the stain, even with the useful corruption or vile corruption variants.

Devil’s Mark You have the mark of a fiend on your body. Gift: You gain a 1st-level sorcerer/wizard or witch spell of your choice as a spell-like ability usable a number of times per day equal to your manifestation level. It must not have a casting time longer than 1 standard action or a material or focus component costing more than 1 gp. Stain: Your devil’s mark manifests on your body. It can’t be hidden by magic, but can be hidden by clothing or other mundane means. Anyone who sees the mark automatically recognizes it as unnatural.

Diabolical Servitor You fraternize with devils who answer your call for aid. Prerequisite: Manifestation level 2nd. Gift: Once per day as a spell-like ability, you can summon a lawful evil outsider, as summon monster II with a duration of 1 minute per manifestation level. At manifestation level 4th, you can use summon monster III, but summon an accuser devil (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 2 84). At manifestation level 6th, you can use summon monster IV this way. At manifestation level 8th, you can use summon monster V this way. Stain: You see lies and pain behind every exchange, even when it isn’t there. You take a –4 penalty on Perception and Sense Motive checks except for those made against devils.

Fiendish Tutelage You learn secrets best kept from mortal minds. Gift: You gain Infernal as a bonus language and a +2 bonus on Bluff and Diplomacy checks to interact with devils. When you acquire this gift, choose two Knowledge skills. You can

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Horror Characters attempt checks with them untrained. At manifestation level 3rd, the bonuses double. Stain: Effects that vary based on your alignment treat you as lawful evil or your true alignment, whichever is worse.

you attempt to cast a spell for a chaotic or good cause (as determined by the GM), you have a 20% spell failure chance if it has a verbal components and a –5 penalty on concentration checks if it has a thought component (Occult Adventures 144) .

Murky Futures

Tenuous Soul

You can call upon Hell for clues about how to avoid your fate. Gift: Once per day, you can call upon the knowledge of Hell with 10 minutes of meditation. You gain the benefit of guidance, with a duration of 24 hours or until discharged. At higher manifestation levels, you can choose to gain the benefit of a different divination spell at the end of your meditation instead: augury at manifestation level 2nd, divination at manifestation level 4th, or contact other plane at manifestation level 6th (to consult Asmodeus or an intermediate deity). Stain: Increase the DCs of Constitution checks you attempt to stabilize while dying, Heal checks targeting you, and caster level checks required for conjuration (healing) spells to benefit you by 2 (the DC increase applies on the caster level check required to raise you from the dead at corruption stage 1). At manifestation level 3rd, the DCs increase by 4 instead. Your soul flees immediately on death, so you can’t be revived by breath of life, the gift of life domain power, or any similar ability.

Your soul feels the constant and increasing pull of Hell. Gift: You gain a +2 bonus on saving throws against emotion (Pathfinder RPG Ultimate Magic 137) and fear spells and effects. You are immune to spells and effects that would trap or destroy your soul except those employed by a devil. At manifestation level 3rd, the bonuses increase to +4. Stain: You take a –2 penalty on saving throws against spells and effects that would possess you or control your actions. At manifestation level 3rd, the penalty changes to –4.

Passage through the Pit The maw of Hell yawns wide to welcome you. Prerequisite: Manifestation level 3rd. Gift: You can step through Hell to reach other places once per hour. As a full-round action, you can choose a direction, then teleport 2d10 × 5 feet away in that direction (or the nearest safe, unoccupied location). You can use this ability once per minute at manifestation level 6th, and at will at manifestation level 8th. Stain: You register as lawful evil as well as your own alignment to effects that reveal alignments. This alignment aura is strong, as if you were a lawful evil cleric. You are treated as an extraplanar lawful evil outsider with the devil subtype by abjurations that protect against such creatures.

Serpent’s Tongue You gain the persuasive power of a master deceiver. Prerequisites: Manifestation level 3rd, fiendish tutelage*. Gift: You gain a +2 bonus on Bluff and Diplomacy checks. Once per day when you succeed at a Bluff or Diplomacy check against a creature, you can attempt to influence it as if using suggestion with a caster level equal to your character level and a duration of 1 minute per level. At manifestation level 6th, the bonuses increase to +4. Stain: Your tongue takes on a serpentlike fork that can’t be hidden by magic, though you can attempt a Disguise check to conceal it. Attempt one Disguise check per interaction, opposed by your opponent’s Perception. Your devil tongue rebels when you work against infernal interests. When

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Hive Your body is a vessel for an invasive otherworldly species that seek to spread across the stars and devour all other life.

CATALYST You were infested with hive larvae (likely from a hive larva swarm; see page 236), but your body has metabolized the larvae and mutated you into something new.

Progression A hive infestation increases over time as your body adapts. Each month, your infestation surges at unpredictable intervals a number of times equal to your manifestation level. Each episode lasts about an hour, during which you’re racked by pain and must attempt a Fortitude save (DC = 15 + manifestation level). On a success, you weather the episode. If you fail, your corruption progresses to the next stage, but you don’t need to attempt any further saves until the next month. Corruption Stage 1: The first time you fail the Fortitude save, your features shifts into an alien visage. You take a –2 penalty on Diplomacy, Disguise, and Handle Animal checks. Your alignment shifts one step toward neutral evil. Corruption Stage 2: The second time you fail, your body transforms. You are affected by spells and abilities as if your creature type were aberration. Your mental link with the hive shifts your alignment to neutral evil. Corruption Stage 3: The third time you fail, you succumb to the link. You seek out an isolated place and wrap yourself in a cocoon of resinous mucous, in which your body dissolves into hive larva swarms, which erupt after 24 hours.

Removing the Corruption Curing a hive corruption could require fleshwarping (see page 164) or even seeking out the enigmatic anunnaki (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 5 28) who created the hive in the first place.

MANIFESTATIONS The following are manifestations of the hive corruption.

Acid Blood Your blood burns like acid. Prerequisites: Manifestation level 3rd, transformed flesh*. Gift: If a creature damages you with a slashing or piercing manufactured weapon, it must succeed at a Reflex saving throw or its weapon takes 2 points of acid damage per manifestation level; this damage is not halved before it is applied to the weapon’s hardness. If a creature damages you with a slashing or piercing natural weapon, it must succeed at the save or take that amount of acid damage itself. Stain: Your acidic sweat damages your equipment. After using or wearing an item for 8 hours total, it gains the

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broken condition. If you use or wear a broken item for 8 hours, it is destroyed. This ability doesn’t break cursed items, artifacts, or similar items that are difficult or impossible to destroy.

Blindsense You can feel the unseen. Prerequisites: Manifestation level 2nd, hive mind*. Gift: As a move action, you can force the hive mind to use its senses to assist you. You gain blindsense with a range of 5 feet × 1/2 your manifestation level until the beginning of your next turn; during that time, you negate the penalty on Perception checks from the stain and instead gain a bonus on Perception checks equal to 1/2 your manifestation level. Stain: You gain the light blindness universal monster ability. You take a penalty on Perception checks equal to your manifestation level.

Bristling Spines Your body becomes covered in chitinous spines. Prerequisites: Manifestation level 3rd, living weapon*. Gift: Your spines can pierce walls, allowing you to climb quickly. You gain a climb speed equal to half your base speed. Stain: Your spines make it difficult to move. Your armor check penalty for any armor you wear increases by 2. Even when not wearing armor, you take a –2 armor check penalty.

Greater Acid Blood Your blood becomes even more vitriolic. Prerequisites: Manifestation level 5th, acid blood*, transformed flesh*. Gift: Whenever you take slashing or piercing damage, all adjacent creatures take an amount of acid damage equal to 1/2 your manifestation level (Reflex negates). Stain: Your blood is so thin it clots poorly, and its alien nature stymies magical healing. You take double the normal damage from bleed effects and lose double the normal amount of hit points per round when dying or when you act while disabled. The DC to stabilize you and stanch bleed effects on you with a Heal check increases by 5. Magical effects no longer stabilize you or end bleed effects—only a successful Heal check can do so.

Greater Hive Mind The whispers of the hive call to you when awake or asleep. Prerequisites: Manifestation level 5th, hive mind*. Gift: As a move action, you can communicate telepathically with one creature within 30 feet for 1 round. The hive whispers through the connection, causing a creature that doesn’t have the hive subtype or hive corruption to be shaken for 1 round (Will negates). Stain: The noise of the hive mind is strongest when you are at your weakest. Whenever damage causes you to drop

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Horror Characters below half your maximum hit points, you are also staggered for 1 round. Immunities don’t prevent this staggered condition, and you can’t remove it early by any means. This effect doesn’t trigger if you are already below half your maximum hit points before you take damage.

Hive Mind You hear whispers of the hive’s collective consciousness. Gift: The strength of the hive mind bolsters your own, granting you a +1 bonus on Will saves. At manifestation level 5th, this bonus increases to +2. Stain: Your mind is cluttered with other disparate voices. You take a –2 penalty on concentration checks, as well as on Intelligence- and Wisdom-based ability checks and skill checks, and you can never take 10 on such checks.

Living Armor You can sheathe your body in an armored carapace. Prerequisites: Manifestation level 2nd, living weapon*. Gift: As a move action, you can cause chitinous plates of armor to grow out of your flesh. This armor grants a natural armor bonus to your AC equal to 1/2 your manifestation level and persists as long you maintain concentration with a swift action each round. You must succeed at a concentration check as if concentrating on a 0-level spell, and your bonus to this concentration check is equal to your character level + your manifestation level. If you fail a concentration check, the armor retracts. Stain: Growing living armor is painful. You take 1 point of damage per manifestation level when you take the action to draw out your living armor and every time you retract the living armor (either voluntarily or by failing a concentration check). While your armor is retracted, you take 1 point of bleed damage whenever you take piercing damage. Special: Upon receiving this manifestation, you must take both the gift and the stain, even with the useful corruption or vile corruption variants (see page 14).

Resin Secretion Your body produces a resinous spittle. Prerequisites: Manifestation level 5th, living weapon*. Gift: As a standard action, you can expel spittle that rapidly hardens into a resin. This effect is identical to the web spell with a caster level equal to your manifestation level, except it targets a single 5-foot space, has a hardness of 1, and has 2 hit points per manifestation level you have. Creatures caught in the spray can attempt a Reflex save to avoid the effect. The resin lasts for 1 minute before crumbling to dust. Stain: Whenever you use your resin secretion gift, you are nauseated until the end of your next turn. Immunities don’t prevent this nauseated condition, and you can’t remove it early by any means. Special: Upon receiving this manifestation, you must take both the gift and the stain, even with the useful corruption or vile corruption variants (see page 14).

Transformed Flesh Your gain some of a hive creature’s resistance to acid. Gift: You gain acid resistance 5. At manifestation level 5th, this acid resistance increases to 10. Stain: The entirety of your flesh darkens and mutates to look more like that of a hive creature. You take a –2 penalty to your Charisma score.

Living Weapon Your hands contort and mutate into horrible rending claws. Gift: You gain two claw attacks as primary natural weapons. These claws each deal 1d4 points of damage if your size is Medium (1d3 if Small). Stain: You take a –2 penalty on ranged attack rolls and attack rolls with manufactured weapons because of your deformed hands.

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Lich Your attempt to transition into unlife has gone horribly awry and your soul is trapped. Lich corruption also works for becoming another sort of corporeal undead (except ghouls and vampires, which have their own corruptions).

CATALYST This corruption originates from an unsuccessful attempt at lichdom. You might have lacked sufficient power or used a flawed phylactery. If you’re not a spellcaster, you could have been an innocent bystander or become corrupted upon destroying a particularly powerful lich’s phylactery.

Progression Lich corruptions are rarely stable, and cause incredible mental and physical strain. Whenever you fail a saving throw against a necromancy effect, learn how to cast a new spell or spells, or are exposed to 25 points of negative energy damage or more from a single source (whether it heals or harms you), you must succeed at a Fortitude save (DC = 15 + your manifestation level) or become spiritually disjoined. You also need to make a saving throw whenever anyone successfully casts the death ward spell on you. After a failed save, your spirit and body disconnect, leaving your corporeal form helpless and your mind trapped within the Negative Energy Plane. This state lasts for 1 hour per manifestation level; if you are killed during this time, you rise 24 hours later as a wraith under the GM’s control. Corruption Stage 1: The first time you recover from this disconnected state, you return diminished, taking a permanent –2 penalty to your Charisma score, and your alignment shifts one step toward evil. Corruption Stage 2: The second time this happens, your alignment shifts another step toward evil and you take an additional –2 penalty to your Charisma score. Corruption Stage 3: The third time this happens, you die and your soul is consumed by the Negative Energy Plane. You can’t be raised or resurrected except by powerful magic such as miracle or wish. Even if you do get brought back, you are an evil lich NPC under the GM’s control.

Removing the Corruption

Bleak Aura Entropy seeps from your body. Prerequisites: Manifestation level 4th, deathless*. Gift: Any living creature that ends its turn adjacent to you takes 1 point of negative energy damage for every 2 manifestation levels you have. Stain: Animals are startled by your presence, worsening their starting attitudes toward you by one step. Any animal companion you have abandons you when you acquire this stain. Whispering voices fill the air around you, begging for release or cursing your existence. Any creature that succeeds at a DC 20 Perception check can hear these whispers, which might alert it to your presence if you’re using Stealth.

Cadaver’s Countenance Your body takes on a deathly likeness. Gift: You gain a +1 natural armor bonus to your AC and a +2 bonus on saves against mind-affecting effects. Stain: Your flesh tightens, turning corpselike and gray as your body rots. You take a –2 penalty to your Constitution.

Deathless You are inured to negative energy. Gift: You gain a +2 bonus on saving throws against spells and effects that work only on living creatures. Stain: You are healed by negative energy and harmed by positive energy as if you were an undead creature.

Death’s Caress

The following are manifestations of the lich corruption.

Your touch drains the warmth of life from others. Gift: You can make a touch attack as a standard action that deals cold damage equal to 1d4 + your manifestation level. Stain: The flesh from one of your hands rots away, leaving it a blackened, skeletal claw. Spells that detect undead sense you, though the peculiar result they return informs the caster that you’re still a living creature. Other spells and effects don’t treat you as undead.

Agonizing Touch

Greater Cadaver’s Countenance

Your touch racks the living with pain.

You become emaciated and nearly skeletal.

Curing lich corruption requires great acts of purification, such as being exorcised by a powerful cleric, bathing in sacred springs, or creating a phylactery of your own into which to expel the lich corruption.

MANIFESTATIONS

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Prerequisites: Manifestation level 4th, death’s caress*. Gift: Once per day per manifestation level, you can make an agonizing touch as a standard action. A living creature hit by this touch attack must succeed at a Fortitude save or be staggered for a number of rounds equal to 1/2 your manifestation level. Stain: Both of your hands wither to nearly skeletal appendages, and your emotions dim towards the coldness of undeath. You take a –2 penalty on attacks with manufactured weapons. Your spells with somatic or emotion (Occult Adventures 144) components have a 5% failure chance. This stacks with any spell failure chances you incur from other sources.