Delirium (drakenheim)

Delerium is a magical mineral left behind by the meteor that
struck Drakkenheim. It appears in geode clusters of translucent,
sharp-edged crystals that reflect octarine light. The
eldritch stones softly hum in dissonant tones, and glow brightly at
night or when exposed to magic. Deposits are found throughout
Drakkenheim, often fused into stone streets and buildings like
crystalline moss.
A typical delerium fragment is about the size of a finger.
Crystals may be fist-sized or slightly larger, and geodes may
be as big as a pumpkin. Massive clusters might grow taller
than an average human.
Crystal
Size
Market
Value
Weight AC HP Extraction
Time
Chip 10 gold 1/4 lbs 15 5 1 action
Fragment 100 gold 1/2 lbs 17 10 1 minute
Shard 500 gold 1 lbs 19 15 5 minutes
Crystal 1,000 gold 2 lbs 21 20 30 minutes
Geode 5,000 gold 20 lbs + 23 25 1 hour
Massive
Cluster
Priceless 8000 lbs + 25 50 See text
Delerium Properties
All delerium samples have the following traits regardless of size:
h Immune to necrotic, poison, and psychic damage; as well
as bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical
weapons.
h Resistant to acid, cold, fire, and lightning damage; as well
as slashing and piercing damage from magical weapons.
h Vulnerable to bludgeoning damage from magical weapons.
h Unless contained within an antimagic field, delerium
shatters and crumbles into worthless ash when reduced
to zero hit points. However, delerium geodes release a
random Arcane Anomaly when destroyed (see below).
Delerium Hazards
When a creature touches delerium without protective
gear for the first time on their turn, or ends their turn in
bodily contact with delerium, they must make a DC 10
Constitution saving throw or take 1d6 necrotic damage and
gain 1 Contamination Level (see Appendix C).
Delerium Harvesting
Delerium found in Drakkenheim is usually fused into the
ground or stone buildings, and may be carefully extracted
using handheld mining equipment such as shovels, picks,
hammers, and chisels. Consult the table to determine how
long it takes characters to harvest delerium deposits of various
sizes. Lacking proper equipment, extraction takes ten times as
long. Massive clusters are impossible to extract without heavy
equipment or powerful magic.
Uses for Delerium
Delerium has vast arcane potential. Beyond trade, delerium
crystals are used for several purposes:
Spell Component. Delerium may be used as an arcane
focus or material component for any spell on the apothecary,
sorcerer, warlock, or wizard spell list. When casting a spell which
requires a costly material component, a spellcaster may instead
use delerium of equivalent value to the required cost.
Magic Items. Delerium is an exceptional material for creating
magical items of all kinds. Any magic item described in the Core
Rules could be made with delerium. Fragments, shards, crystals,
and geodes may be used to make uncommon, rare, very rare, and
legendary items respectively. At the GM’s discretion, characters
who can cast 5th-level spells or higher may learn techniques to
craft magic items of their own during their downtime.
Stable Delerium. The process for crafting magic items
with delerium renders the crystals stable. Unless otherwise
specified, characters do not take damage nor risk contamination
when they touch or handle stable delerium. Stable delerium is
damaged and destroyed in the same manner as a normal magic
item of its kind.
Delerium Dust. Delerium dust is made by grinding the
crystals against one another to create a fine powder. This milling
process is extraordinarily hazardous unless performed within an
antimagic field. Delerium dust can be used in alchemy, as a spell
component, a reagent for brewing potions, or mixed into inks for
spell scrolls.
Improvised Weapons and Ammunition. Delerium
fragments may be used as ammunition for a sling or fashioned
into a makeshift club. Such weapons and ammunition deal an
extra 1d6 necrotic damage, and humanoid creatures struck
must make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or gain one
Contamination Level. Delerium used as ammunition in this
way is destroyed.

Arcane Anomalies
1 Gravity breaks within a 100-foot-radius area for 1 hour. Creatures
levitate in midair, and must move by pushing or pulling against a
fixed object or surface within reach (such as a wall or a ceiling),
which allows them to move as if they were climbing. Unattended
objects float around randomly.
2 The nearest creature is affected by hideous laughter (spell save DC
15) but instead of laughing, the creature repeats unfathomable
combinations of syllables and words. Occasionally, a somewhat
comprehensible but totally illogical phrase emerges, such as “...
oh time thy pyramids!”
3 Time skips a beat. Creatures within 60 feet experience a palpable
feeling of vertigo followed by a powerful sensation of deja vu
and are stunned for 1 round (no saving throw).
4 The nearest creature becomes unstuck in time. It is affected by
the blink spell for 1 minute. Instead of vanishing into the Ethereal
Plane, the creature vanishes into a sliver of time in its past or
possible future.
5 A prismatic burst of energy erupts in a 20-foot radius. Creatures
in the area must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or take
8d6 radiant damage and become blinded for 1 round. The smell
of ozone fills the area, and nearby wood and inanimate plants
are transformed into solid glass.
6 Echoes of possible realities are briefly visible for 1 minute. When
a creature within 60 feet is hit by an attack, a faint vision of the
creature being killed by that attack appears.
7 Discordant music fills the mind of all creatures within 30 feet,
who are affected as if by irresistible dance (spell save DC 15)
8 A section of stone, water, air, or energy becomes an appropriate
delerium elemental.
9 An extraplanar creature is summoned. The Game Master either
chooses the creature or determines it randomly. It is friendly to
the creature who triggered the anomaly.
10 All humanoid corpses within 120 feet animate as hostile zombies.
The shrieking undead beg frantically for forgiveness as they rip
apart the living.
11 The shadows of 1d6 random creatures in the area animate and
try to kill them while softly whispering “Guilty, guilty, guilty...”
Once destroyed, the creatures don’t cast a shadow for 24 hours.
12 All creatures within 60 feet become invisible for 1 minute or until
they attack or cast a spell.
13 Tendrils of life flow from the nearest creature to others. The
targets must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or take
8d8 necrotic damage, or half as much on a success. The three
nearest creatures within 60 feet each regain hit points equal to
the damage taken.
14 A hypnotic pattern (spell save DC 15) appears. It creates scintillating
impossible colors in shapes which are simply wrong. Creatures
incapacitated by the spell weep uncontrollably for the duration.
15 A black tentacles spell appears in the area for 1 hour (escape DC 15).
16 Objects within 60 feet come to life for the next hour, as if
affected by the animate objects spell. They mumble awful truths,
but are not otherwise hostile.
17 The nearest creature is polymorphed into an awakened shrub for 1
hour or until reduced to 0 hp.
18 Time slows down for up to six randomly determined creatures
within 120 feet of the anomaly. They are affected by the slow spell
for 1 minute. (spell save DC 15).
19 Time speeds up for one randomly determined creature within 60
feet of the anomaly. They are affected by the haste spell for 1 minute.
20 A bowl of flowers and a very surprised aquatic mammal appear
100 feet in the air. “Oh no, not again...” thinks the flowers.

The Haze
The Haze is magical radiation emitted by vast concentrations of
delerium. It covers the ruins of Drakkenheim, but smaller areas
are beginning to manifest in other regions.
Effects on Characters
Creatures do not gain any benefits from finishing a long rest
within the Haze.
In addition, a humanoid creature may only spend up
to 24 hours within the Haze, after which it must finish a
long rest to adequately recover from exposure. Humanoid
creatures who remain in the Haze beyond 24 hours before
recuperating risk contamination. For each additional hour
spent within the Haze beyond 24 hours, a humanoid creature
must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or gain one
Contamination Level.
Environmental Effects
The Haze magically manifests mist throughout the area. Characters
can see normally through the mist up to 150 feet. Vision beyond
is lightly obscured, but vision past 300 feet is totally obscured.
Any mists dispersed during the day re-form 10 minutes later.
The mists dampen sunlight. Creatures with sunlight
vulnerability or similar traits do not suffer these penalties
during the day while within the Haze.
The corpses of beasts and humanoid creatures do not rot
within the Haze.
Effects on Spells
Any divination or teleportation spell cast outside the Haze
targeting a creature or location within the Haze automatically
fails. Telepathic communications or effects such as the sending
spell transmitted from outside the Haze fail to contact a
character within it, and vice-versa. Finally, other divination
spells fail to reveal useful information about delerium, the
Haze, the origins of the meteor, or any events which occurred
within the Haze.

When a character attempts any of the above using a spell
or other effect, they must make a DC 15 Intelligence saving
throw. On a failure, they take 6d6 psychic damage and
become incapacitated with madness until they finish a long
rest. During this time, they speak only in gibberish. A greater
restoration spell ends this effect.
Tiny hut and similar spells or abilities do not provide shelter
from the Haze. However, characters may rest within a
magnificent mansion spell cast within the Haze.
Deep Haze
Certain areas are so suffused by the Haze that mere exposure is
extremely dangerous and potentially fatal. Known as the Deep
Haze, these areas have the following additional traits:
h Deep Haze is instantly recognized by a thick prismatic fog.
Characters can see normally through this fog up to 60 feet.
Vision beyond is lightly obscured, but vision past 120 feet is
totally obscured. If dispersed during the day, the fog reforms
1 minute later.
h Characters entering the Deep Haze must make a DC 15
Constitution saving throw, and again for each full hour spent
within. On a failed saving throw, they suffer 10 (3d6) necrotic
damage and gain one Contamination Level.
Delerium Sludge
Gargantuan delerium geodes perspire an opalescent sludge.
Characters submerged in delerium sludge must make a DC 18
Constitution saving throw at the start of their turn. They take
42 (12d6) necrotic damage on a failed saving throw, and half as
much on a successful one. In addition, characters who fail the
saving throw gain one Contamination Level.