Rules Position (Dark souls; HP alternative) Position not only represents an abstraction of health and stamina, but also enables players to affect dice rolls and to use key abilities, adding a strategic layer to any combat action. Each character’s Base Position is equal to their current level, plus their Constitution modifier, and the maximum value of the dice in their position pool. If a character’s Position is reduced to zero, the character is killed. At 1st level a character’s Base Position is equal to: Constitution modifier + Maximum value of their Origin’s Position dice + Current Level For example, a Knight with Constitution 15 (+2) and a Brute Origin (1d10 Position) at 1st level has a base Position pool of 13 (2+10+1). At every level after 1st, when they level up characters increase their Base Position as shown below: Current Base Position + Constitution Modifier If your character starts at level one, then when you level up, you increase your Base Position by simply adding your modifier. If your game is starting at a higher level, then you include your level (as seen in Origins’ ‘Position at Higher Levels’). This little boost is to reflect the lack of improved equipment you’ll have been able to equip yet. It’s not a lot but it might just help. When the Knight reaches 2nd level, the character’s player adds their +2 Constitution modifier to their existing base position. As a result, Base Position is increased to 15. During combat, characters will increase their Position by rolling a number of Position dice (determined by their Origin and level) to generate additional temporary position. Uninjured and fully rested, the Knight’s current Position would be 15 (equal to their Base Position). When the Knight enters combat with a Hollow, the Knight’s player rolls 2d10 (level x Position Dice) resulting in 11, and adds this to their current Position giving them a total of 26 Position for the coming conflict. Position Pool In and Out of Combat Position is vital for a character in combat but also plays a key role in other dangerous situations such as stumbling into a trap, being poisoned, or falling for a height, amongst many other dangerous events in the world of DARK SOULS. Out of combat, all damaging effects are deducted from the character’s current Position. In combat, however, things are a little different. Once the GM has announced that a combat is about to begin, and initiative has been determined, characters gain additional temporary position. Be this a surge of adrenaline, or an experienced fighter understanding the battlefield, this temporary boost is vital for survival. This additional temporary position is calculated when a character first acts in combat, and is added to the character’s current Position. Being surprised in combat, is therefore really rather dangerous. Temporary Position = Origin Position dice x Level Once the combat has ended, a character’s Position reverts to either their Base Position value, or stays at the current Position value, whichever is lowest. The healing powers of the Estus Flask, and some magic items or spells can restore position, as can taking a Long rest at a bonfire. If the Knight suffers 3 points of damage in the fight with the Hollow, after the fight ends, their Position (currently 26) reverts back to 15 (equal to their Base Position). Alternatively, if the Knight had fared worse and suffered 13 damage from the Hollow’s bombs, after the fight ends, their Position would remain at 13 until healed or rested. Using Position Position can be expended to represent that little extra effort. Do you want to burn your enemies with a Great Chaos Fireball? Or did you miss the vital blow that might have turned the fight in your favour? Perhaps the enemy only just manage to survive when a little more damage might have killed them? This is where strategic use of Position is critical to your character’s survival. Some abilities, or spells, can only be triggered using Position by spending the specified amount from a character’s Position total. These costs are noted in the description of the spell or ability, where appropriate. Alternatively, Position can be spent to modify dice rolls, to increase damage, or to attempt difficult and impressive actions. But beware, Position may only be used once per activation so careful timing is key. Spending Position Some restrictions: You can only ever spend Position on yourself. You may only spend Position once per turn. You cannot trigger critical effects by spending Position. Common Uses Increase the result of a dice roll by +1 per Position There is no limit on how much Position you can spend on an attack roll, so, you could roll a 1 and, if you had sufficient Position, hit a creature with an AC 20 but in doing, leave yourself much more vulnerable to your enemy’s attacks. Increase your melee or ranged attack damage roll by 5 points, as a minimum You can increase damage by however much you wish, spend Position on a 1 to 1 basis, but you must always spend a minimum of 5 Position to do so, unless using a weapon’s special ability. Increase your movement Gain +5 feet of movement per Position spent. Maximum movement that may be gained in this way is equal to your Base Speed value. If a player thinks of a particularly interesting or ingenious use of Position, then the GM should feel free to dictate a cost and allow the Unkindled to perform the action described by the player. In summary, Position represents a combination of health and stamina but instead of being a pool that decreases only when a player character takes damage, in DARK SOULS: The Roleplaying Game¸ you can spend Position to trigger abilities, cast spells, modify your dice rolls, and even increase your damage. BUT Be careful! Don’t ever forget that Position still counts as a representation of your health. Once it hits zero, you die! Spending Position can grant you impressive advantages in combat, often turning the tide in your favour, but doing so will make dying that much quicker and easier. Use it cautiously… Respawning (Darksouls, Death wound alternative) When a player character is reduced to 0 Position, they are dead. In the world of DARK SOULS: The Roleplaying Game however, this is not the end. Instead, the player character will reawaken, sometime later, at the site of the last bonfire they visited. When a player character dies, they lose all their collected souls, but, when they awaken, are restored to full Base Position, and all their abilities are once again ready to use. Determining the nearest bonfire is based on the area the player characters are currently exploring. If player characters have not visited or rested at a bonfire, it can still be used as the closest bonfire for purposes of awakening after being killed. If more than half of a party of player characters are killed, they have failed. Instead, the player character will reawaken, sometime later, at the nearest bonfire to where they died. As noted previously, when a character dies, they respawn at the nearest bonfire. They lose all collected souls, but are otherwise returned to full Position, and all their abilities are ready to use once again. When a player character respawns is up to them, though they cannot rejoin the battle that killed them if it continues. If a player character wishes to rejoin a battle after dying and respawning, the creature they are engaged with regains all Position, though the character and their allies do not. They may, however, explore separately from their main party until the fight is completed, or alternatively, simply wait at the bonfire. Whenever a player character is killed and respawns, a part of them dies or is lost. Memories of their past selves fade, to be replaced only be emptiness. The unkindled do not die, but they do diminish. When a player character respawns, they must succeed on a DC 18 Wisdom save or should they fail, they must roll on the Hollowing Effect table. 1 Empty. There is nothing left of you to be consumed. You, whatever that means, are gone now. You are a mindless thing. You must create a new character. 2 Flesh Withers. Your skin tightens on your bones, mummifying even as you watch. Lose 2 from your Charisma Score. 3 Darkness Falls. What is left of you? Almost nothing now. Reduce one Attribute by 2. 4 Dismal. Any joy or laughter you used to retain is entirely gone. Reduce your starting Charisma Score by -1. 5 Atrophy. Your muscles are starting to fail you, weakening. Reduce your starting Strength Score by -1. 6 It’s Getting Dark. The world is darker than it was. Reduce your passive Perception total by -1. 7 Indifference. Death does not care about you; why should it? You are merely one more thing cursed to resist your natural end. No changes occur. 8 Murmur. You have returned but something has lodged in your mind from beyond. A voice is in your head now, whispering strange thoughts. 9 Fortune. You have the eerie sense that you have already lived this life in some way. Next time you die, you make your Wisdom saving throw to avoid hollowing with advantage. 10 Morbidity. Your focus is increasingly on your failing mind, the loss of your senses, and the gradual erosion of self. Reduce any skill of your choice by -1. 11 Humanity’s Absence. You have become cold, callous, and unmoved by human suffering. Reduce your Wisdom Score by -1. 12 Dulled Senses. You are slower to react to threats as they present themselves. Reduce your Initiative by -1. 13 Miracle of the Grave. Perhaps you are less than you once were, but this time, upon returning to life, you feel alive. Gain +2 to any single attribute. 14 Death’s Blessing. You have returned tougher, hardier. Add an extra +1d6 to your starting Base Position. 15 Toughening Bone. Your bones have hardened, and they protrude through the skin strangely, granting you +1 AC. 16 Immune. Death has cleansed you of some of the frailties of human life. You are immune to Poison and to the Poisoned effect. 17 At Last. You thought this death would be your final demise. You braced yourself for this conclusion to your being, but instead you found yourself returned. You make your next skill check or combat roll at disadvantage. 18 Death’s Kin. You are a member of the dead, you carry the burden of the grave with you and it scares those who look upon you. Gain +1 whenever making any Charisma (Intimidation) checks. 19 Absent Minded. Your mind wanders, no longer able to focus on the things that you took joy in. Reduce your starting Intelligence Score by -1. 20 Forgotten. Some memory, some fragile recollection of your past or current life has gone. Between you and the GM, decide what this memory is and what effect its loss has on you. variant rules (grim hollow) Stabilisation When a character at 0 hit points regains hit points, they instantly become conscious and heal as per usual. However, they are still incapacitated until the end of their next turn. Concentration Checks Whenever you fail a concentration check, you gain the dazed condition until the end of your next turn. Bleeding Bleeding creatures cannot regain hit points from spells or abilities. A bleeding creature can only regain hit points by consuming hit dice or completing a long rest. Dazed If you are concentrating on a spell and become dazed, you lose concentration on that spell and it immediately fails. While dazed, you cannot concentrate on spells. Grivious wounds (Grim Hollow) A consistent theme throughout dark fantasy and related stories is the consequences of actions. While the roleplay ramifications of a party's decision can be highlighted through story outcomes, combat ramifications can be a little harder to implement. Grievous Wounds are an effective method of adding grit and realism to combat encounters, bringing the consequences of a difficult fight to the forefront of storytelling. Implementing Grievous Wounds Whenever a player character is reduced to 0 hit points, they roll 2d6 and subtract from the result the number of existing Grievous Wounds they have. They then apply the modified result from the Grievous Wound Table. If a player rolls the same result as one they already have a wound for, they skip this result and select the next lowest result they do not have as a wound. Results with a * next to them can be taken more than once. Upon completing a long rest, and if the character or someone helping them succeeds at a DC 10 Wisdom (Medicine) check, a player can remove all effects from Grievous Wounds, but not Permanent Wounds. See the next section for Permanent Wounds. 2D6 Grievous Wound 2 or less Permanent Wound. You have sustained a serious wound that is most likely permanent. Roll on the Permanent Wound Table and apply the result. 3 Internal Bleeding*. You have suffered an internal hemorrhage and bruising. Your hit point maximum is halved. 4 Concussion. You have received a minor concussion and struggle to focus on complicated tasks. You gain the dazed condition. 5 Laceration. You have taken a deep injury which you are bleeding from. You gain the bleeding condition. 6 Deep Wound*. You have taken a blow that under different circumstances would kill most humanoids. When you are reduced to 0 hit points, you start with an additional failed death saving throw. 7 Battered*. Your muscles ache and you have had the wind knocked out of you. You gain a level of exhaustion. 8 Sprained Wrist*. You have badly sprained your wrist, unable to use it effectively. You are unable to hold objects in one of your hands and you cannot take actions that require that arm. 9 Damaged Eardrum. You have suffered a blow to the head and your hearing has been impaired. You gain the deafened condition. 10 System Shock. You have suffered a severe nervous system shock. You have disadvantage in Dexterity checks to determine initiative. 11 Sprained Ankle*. You have badly sprained your ankle, unable to use it effectively. Your speed on foot is halved and you cannot take the dash action. If you receive this result a second time your speed on foot becomes 0. 12 Close Call*. You narrowly miss an otherwise dangerous blow. Instead of being reduced to 0 hit points, you fall to 1 hit point instead, and become prone. Permanent Wounds Permanent wounds are injuries that were not lethal but left the recipient maimed. They represent a serious impediment that requires creativity to overcome, especially at lower levels. The effects of a permanent wound are irreversible unless the recipient is targeted with the regenerate spell, upon which one permanent wound is removed 1D6 Permanent Wound 1 Fatal Wound. Through an unrecoverable injury you have been fatally wounded. You are now dead. 2 Lost Arm*. You have suffered a serious injury to your arm or have lost it entirely. You are unable to hold objects in one of your arms and you cannot take actions that require two arms. 3 Lost Leg*. You have suffered a serious injury to your leg or have lost it entirely. Your speed on foot is halved and you cannot take the dash action. If you receive this result again your speed on foot becomes 0. 4 Lost Eye*. You have lost the use of a good eye. You have disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) and Intelligence (Investigation) checks that rely on sight. If you receive this result again, you gain the blinded condition. 5 Scarred Lungs. Undertaking vigorous activities causes you to break out in a coughing fit. If you take an action, you cannot take a bonus action until your next turn. If you take a bonus action you cannot take an action until your next turn. 6 Hideous Scar. You have been horribly and visibly scared. You have disadvantage on Charisma (Performance) and Charisma (Persuasion) checks. Additionally, indifferent NPC’s may prefer not to converse with you. Battlefield Actions Additional Combat Rules Why Use Battlefield Actions:   Battlefield Actions strive to make combat encounters feel diverse, dynamic, and grand. They shift the players’ objective from “deal the most damage to the monster” to a completely different goal, keeping fights more interesting and ever-changing to play and making enemies feel more threatening, more of a “boss” encounter. You should use Battlefield Actions if: You and your players are well versed in the normal combat mechanics and are ready to add a new mechanic. You find fights skew towards static encounters where movement plays a very small role in combat, and most turns can be summarized as a race to inflict damage and little else. You are having a hard time challenging your players. You or your players have expressed boredom when it comes to fights, finding them too slow, repetitive, or samey. You are looking for a way to make a “boss fight” feel more climactic than other battles.   How Battlefield Actions Work: Battlefield actions consist of two phases: A Tell, where the Battlefield Action starts. The Tell does not inflict any damage. Instead, it is a hint for the player as to what the Battlefield Action will do once it’s resolved and how to stop it. A Resolution, when the Battlefield Action ends. If the players have not neutralized or mitigated the Battlefield Action, the actual effect of this action will resolve in this phase. All Battlefield Actions can be either neutralized or mitigated. The point of the Tell phase is for the players to figure out how to neutralize or mitigate the action before it reaches the Resolution stage. If the players don’t manage to neutralize or mitigate a Battlefield Action, the Battlefield Action simply triggers.   In combat, Battlefield Actions start their Tell phase at the  end  of a monster’s turn and arrive at their  R esolution stage at the  beginning  of that monster’s  next  turn. The players have the whole Initiative order to deal with the Battlefield Action.   For example: At the end of the enemy’s turn, they conjure two summoning circles on either side of the battlefield. The circles glow brightly with magical energy, and motes of this arcane light  coalesce to form the outline of another creature. If a player steps close to them, they dim somewhat.  This is the Tell phase of this Battlefield Action.   At least one creature must step on the circles to stop the summoning. When they stand on them, the circles dim and stop gathering energy.   At the beginning of the monster’s next turn, if no creature is standing on the summoning circles, two minions are summoned to assist the boss. If a creature is standing on each circle, the Battlefield Action has been neutralized and fails.  This is the Resolution phase of this Battlefield Action.   To summarize: The end of the monster’s turn starts the Tell phase of the Battlefield Action. Players must figure out a way to neutralize or mitigate the action before the monster’s next turn starts. The beginning of the monster’s next turn starts the Resolution phase of the Battlefield Action.   Depending on the player’s action, the Battlefield Action triggers, is mitigated, or is neutralized.   We recommend giving your monster at least two Battlefield Actions so that the Battlefield Action changes each round.   Battlefield Actions have not been designed to be given to anything other than “boss” enemies. Likewise, Battlefield Actions are not supposed to be given to two different monsters in the same combat encounter.   Damage By CR and Saving Throws: Since many Battlefield Actions deal damage, and this system is intended for you to attach to existing monsters or new ones you make, the damage a Battlefield Action deals depends on the monster’s CR.   COMING SOON - as a quick fix: choose the strongest attack from the monster and make the battlefield action deal that damage.   If a Battlefield Action calls for the players to make a saving throw, choose what ability that monster is using to perform the Battlefield Action and follow the regular DC calculation formula: 8 + key ability modifier + Proficiency Bonus   Proficiency Bonuses can be found next to CR in all monster stat blocks and are dependent on a monster’s CR.   Battlefield Actions Here you’ll find a list of some Battlefield Actions that you can use. Because the damage dealt and the DCs involved in this Battlefield Actions depend on the monster’s abilities and CR, any of these Battlefield Actions can work for any monster. You can therefore concentrate on how you want a monster’s actions to feel, and the effects you want that monster to create on the battlefield, rather than whether or not the damage or difficulty feels correct for the fight at hand. Quite a few Battlefield Actions are resolved by breaking a boss’ concentration. The point of Battlefield Actions isn’t to stop your players from dealing damage, but to shift their focus away from  only  doing that while remaining static for the entire fight. We recommend mixing Battlefield Actions that force players to move, hold their actions, or otherwise not attack as they normally would with Battlefield Actions that must be neutralized or minimized by breaking Concentration. Too many of the former might make Battlefield Actions feel like an obstacle to the players' fun rather than a mechanic to make battles grander and more dynamic. Unless otherwise specified, the damage type of a Battlefield Action is up to the GM and dependent upon the monster. A giant holding a metal club will deal Bludgeoning damage when performing the Cleave Battlefield Action, whereas a fiend performing the same action with a flaming whip will deal Fire damage. Use damage types to make Battlefield Actions feel unique to the monster using them. Every Battlefield Action is presented in the same format: first the Tell, then the condition to mitigate or neutralize, and then the Resolution. For ease of reading, the creature performing the Battlefield Action will be referred to as “the boss.” Summoning Minions: Tell:  Two 10-foot-radius summoning circles appear on the battlefield as the faint outline of a monster starts to coalesce within them. Neutralization:  If a creature steps on the circles, the minion cannot be summoned. Resolution:  If not neutralized, two minions are summoned to the battlefield to assist the boss. Cleave: Tell:  The boss raises its weapon, readying a devastating attack against anyone in front of it. Whenever a creature deals damage to the boss, the boss faces in the direction of the creature that attacked it, changing the area affected by their Cleave. Mitigation:  The players might choose to have a particularly hardy character hold their attack until right before the boss’ turn to make sure the boss hits them, or have a ranged combatant hit the boss last while all other characters move away from the Cleave’s area of effect. They might also have a rogue character hit,disengage, and run away from the boss, allowing the boss to target the rogue while they remain out of the area of effect Resolution:  If not mitigated, the boss Cleaves a 15-foot Cone area in the direction the boss is facing. Every creature in that area must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking full damage on a failure and half damage on a success. Ray: Tell:  The boss begins to coalesce all magic around it into a ball of energy on its palm. Whenever a creature deals damage to the boss, the boss faces in the direction of the creature that attacked it, changing the area that will be affected by the ray. Mitigation:  A particularly hardy character can hold their attack until right before the boss’ turn to make sure the boss hits them. Players must also be aware of their positioning so as not to be caught in the area of effect of the ray. Resolution:  If not mitigated, the boss releases a 5-foot-wide, 60-foot-long ray in the direction the boss is facing. Every creature in that path must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking full damage on a failure and half damage on a success. Enchanting Ballad: Tell:  The boss enters a state of deep concentration and starts to sing a haunting melody. As more and more of the song reaches the ears of creatures who can hear it, they drift away from themselves, developing a slowly growing sense of understanding and camaraderie with the boss. Neutralization:  The players must break the boss’ Concentration on the song as one would break Concentration on a spell. Alternatively, the players can use the spell Silence to ensure the boss cannot sing its melody. Resolution:  If not mitigated, the creature with the lowest Wisdom ability score that can hear the song has the Charmed condition until the song ends and repeats the save at the end of each of its turns. Watchful Eye: Tell:  The boss opens their eyes, and a dreadful magical energy gathers like a pinprick of light deep inside of their pupil. When their gaze falls on a creature, it feels an impending sense of dread grow within itself. Neutralization:  The players must hide from the boss so as to not be seen when the Battlefield Action reaches its Resolution phase. They can use the environment to block line of sight, take the Hide action, or even cast spells like  Darkness  to obscure the boss’ vision. Resolution:  If not neutralized, all creatures the boss can see have the Frightened condition. They can make a Wisdom saving throw to free themselves from this effect at the end of each of their turns. Perfect Illusion: Tell:  The boss creates three illusory copies of itself on the battlefield. These illusory copies start to gather magical energy on their palms, getting ready to unleash an attack. Neutralization:  The illusory copies share the same ability scores and AC as the boss, but only have 1 Hit Point. The players must deal damage to these illusory copies to destroy them before the boss’ next turn. Resolution:  If not neutralized, each illusory copy will make an attack against a creature. The attack is one that the boss has as part of its stat block rather than being one based on the damage stated in the Battlefield Actions rules. Tactical Retreat: Tell:  The boss starts to concentrate on a spell as its form slowly starts to dematerialize in front of the party’s very eyes. Neutralization:  The players must break the boss’ Concentration as one would break Concentration on a spell. Resolution:  If not neutralized, the boss is teleported away to a location of its choice, escaping the battle to live another day. Danse Macabre: Tell:  The boss begins to perform an enchanting dance. As the party watches its enchanting movements, they feel an increasing urge to join them. Neutralization:  The players must break the boss’ Concentration on the dance as one would break Concentration on a spell. Alternatively, the players can find a way to bring the boss’ speed to 0, such as by restraining it. Resolution:  If not neutralized, all creatures hostile to the boss are under the effects of the spell Irresistible Dance until the end of their next turn. Eruption: Tell:  The boss punches the ground with all its might, and cracks begin to snake outwards from the impact. Energy shines through these cracks, brightest and strongest at the epicenter of the impact, and begins growing in power. The closer a creaturestands to the impact, the stronger this energy seems to be, and the more the ground cracks and trembles. Mitigation:  The players must move as far as possible from the impact to reduce the damage taken when the battlefield finally erupts. Resolution:  The ground erupts, consuming the battlefield in a blast of energy, its effects more or less lethal depending on how close a creature is to the impact. Creatures standing less than 20 feet away from the impact must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking full damage on a failure and half damage on a success. Creatures standing 25 feet or more away from the impact must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking half damage on a failure and no damage on a success. Eye of the Hurricane: Tell:  The boss begins to generate a massive wind current in a vortex centered on itself. The wind picks up with surprising speed, and soon the characters feel themselves losing their footing—being pushed not only outwards, but upwards. The only zone where the wind doesn’t seem to grow in strength is directly next to the boss, at the center of this vortex. Mitigation:  The players must move as close as possible to the boss to reduce the damage taken when the vortex finally coalesces into a hurricane. Resolution:  The vortex turns into a hurricane, sweeping the battlefield in a deadly whirlwind. Its effects are more or less lethal, depending on how far away a creature is from the boss. Creatures standing more than 10 feet away from the boss must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking full damage and being pushed 30 feet away from the boss on a failure and taking half damage and being pushed 15 feet away from the boss on a success. Creatures standing 10 feet or less away from the boss must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking half damage and being pushed 15 feet away from the boss on a failure, and taking no damage on a success. sport match rules An Introduction Welcome! This document is a set of rules that allows you to integrate sports rules into a combat encounter. These rules are not system agnostic, as they use the 5e combat rules as a base to build on, but with tweaking they can be adapted to any system. These rules introduce brand new actions and reactions, so we strongly recommend letting your players familiarize themselves with them some time before the actual combat encounter so that it goes smoothly; consider sharing them the session before the sports match is set to take place. The sport being played in question is left vague on purpose so that you can flavor it to something that will fit your setting. This sport could be played underwater, or floating through the sky, or involving advanced magitech, for example. We invite you to create a story behind the sport, as well as to think of how this sport affects and fits into your world. Useful questions to ask yourself when introducing something like a sport into your world are: How popular is this sport? Is this something that everybody is familiar with and most people enjoy at least watching? How did this sport come to be? Are there professional players of this sport? How are they treated by the general populace? If your players enjoy their first sports match, consider making them a regular thing in your campaign. Maybe they can join a league and participate in matches at stadiums all across the nation they are traveling in in order to become the current champions. You can even create an entirely separate arc off of these rules. Sport Rules These are the general rules to play a sports match. We encourage you to add or change rules to suit the feel you want for the sport in your world. You could, for example, add underwater combat rules if the sport is played underwater, or make a team receive a point if they down a rival team member for more of a blood-sport feel, or add monsters to the field for a more gladiatorial arena vibe. The goal is to score as many points as possible within a set amount of time. A game lasts for 10 rounds. (For a longer match, consider 20 rounds.) A team scores a goal by shooting the ball into the enemy team’s goal. No player can enter the 15-foot-radius zone around the goal known as the Goal Zone except for the goalie. The sport has only one set position: goalie. A member of each team is designated as the goalie. This member cannot leave the Goal Zone, and their mission is to stop the ball when an enemy team player shoots it towards their goal. When a team scores, the defending goalie takes immediate control of the ball, all players go back to their starting positions, and the match continues. Time spent going back to previous positions doesn’t count as time spent in the match and initiative doesn’t change but continues as it was before the goal. If by the end of the 10 rounds the teams have the same score, the winner is decided by a penalty shoot-out. Each team gets to shoot three shots against the enemy team goalie. If both teams score the same number of points during the penalty shoot-out, the match ends in a draw. Sport Actions, Bonus Actions and Reactions Actions: Pass: Pass the ball from one teammate to another. A pass can travel a maximum distance of 30 feet. To make a pass, make a Dexterity-based attack plus proficiency. A pass is successful if the result of the roll is higher than 10. Ex: A pass for a level 6 character with a Dex Score of 20: d20 + Dex Modifier (5) + Proficiency Bonus (3) = 7 + 5 + 3 = 15 Shoot: Shoot the ball in a certain direction. The maximum distance the ball can travel when shot is 30 feet. To shoot, make a Strength-based attack plus proficiency. 10 or lower: The ball travels 10 feet 11 to 15: The ball travels 15 feet 16 to 20: The ball travels 20 feet 21 to 25: The ball travels 25 feet. 26 or higher: The ball travels 30 feet. Tackle: Tackle a creature to take the ball from them and push them 10 feet away. To tackle a creature, make a Strength (Athletics) check. The creature makes a contested Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. If your check is higher than theirs, the tackle is successful and the creature lets go of the ball, the ball now occupying the space the creature previously did, and the creature is pushed 10 feet away. Steal: Take the ball away from the grasp of a creature. To steal the ball from a creature, make a Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check. The creature makes a contested Wisdom (Insight) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. If your check is higher than theirs you take the ball away from the creature. Bonus Actions: Pick Up: Pick up the ball when the ball is within 5 feet of you. This action can only be executed if the ball is not in possession of a creature. Reactions: Intercept: Stop a pass or shot. If a ball not in possession of a creature enters your range as it is being passed or shot, you can use your reaction to try to intercept the ball. To do so, roll a Dexterity saving throw. If your roll is higher than the roll of the initial pass or shot, you successfully intercept the ball, and it is now in your possession. Lunge: Lunge in a direction of your choosing. You can invoke this reaction at any time except during your turn to move up to 10 feet in any direction. You can use this reaction to set yourself up for passes. Concentration: If a creature receives any damage while in possession of the ball, they must immediately make a concentration saving throw, as if concentrating on a spell. On a failure, they let go of the ball. The ball now occupies an empty space of the GM’s choice within 5 feet of the creature. A Note: In order for these rules to work, class abilities or items that allow players to interact with objects as a bonus action or a free action should not work when dealing with the ball. Sport Tips This is a section of tips to play a match to its fullest potential. We greatly encourage sharing these with your players before the match. Use a ring (if playing in person) or a stamp (if playing online) to keep track of who has possession of the ball on the map. The goalie should be someone with a high dexterity, as their job is to intercept the ball. The goalie should be a ranged combatant, such as an archer or a caster, as they’re going to be away from the action for most of the match. Casters may wish to spend their time as defenders in the backline, close to the goalie, where they have the most range to influence the battlefield with their spells. Ranged combatants and characters with dexterity-based builds are better in the middle of the field to facilitate passes to attackers. Characters with strength-based builds are best as attackers, as the only way to gain points is to Shoot the ball into the enemy team’s goal. Be careful with using your reaction to hit a passing enemy with an opportunity attack, as you won’t have your reaction to intercept a ball if it comes near you or to lunge to receive a pass. You can get someone to drop the ball they are holding in several ways: You can tackle them, steal the ball from them, or damage them to make them lose concentration.   Madness Madness can be short-term, long-term, or indefinite. More mundane effects, like the ones presented here, impose short-term madness, which lasts for just a few minutes. More horrific effects or cumulative effects can result in long-term or indefinite madness. A creature’s intellect can help it understand eldritch knowledge without breaking its mind. Characters can add their Intelligence modifier to saving throws they make against madness. ● When a creature becomes afflicted by madness, be it short-term, long-term or indefinite, the creature is stunned (see the condition) until the start of its next turn, and then the madness takes effect. ● A character afflicted with short-term madness is subjected to an effect from the Short-Term Madness table for 1d4 minutes. ● A character afflicted with long-term madness is subjected to an effect from the Long-Term Madness table for 1d4 × moons (or 1d4 x 7 days, if you aren’t using eldritch moons in your world). ● A character afflicted with indefinite madness gains a new trait from the Indefinite Madness table that lasts until cured. GM Note: If you don’t know when to apply longterm or indefinite madness, here is a rule of thumb to follow. Each time a character accumulates three forms of short-term madness in less than 48 hours, they gain a form of long-term madness. If a character gains three forms of long-term madness in less than 30 days, they gain a form of indefinite madness. Feel free to alter these numbers if you want to see more or less madness in your game. SHORT-TERMMADNESS D100 D10 Short-TermMadness 1-10 Your mind is liberated from any sense of self you may possess 1-2 Without an ego, you are immune to the charmed condition. 3-7 You mimic the mannerisms, behaviour, and speech patterns of the creature closest to you when you gained this madness. 8-10 Desperate to find yourself again and believing anything, you automatically fail saving throws against being charmed. 11-20 Your mind is invaded by the sound of the cosmos 1-2 Painful sounds pale in comparison to the cacophony in your head; you are immune to thunder damage. 3-7 Eldritch utterings scratch your brain; you hear the soft caress of whispers behind your back. 8-10 The sound of the cosmos drowns out all other noise, closing you to the world. You are deafened and have disadvantage on saving throws made to maintain your concentration. 21-30 You have seen too much; your mind can’t understand it, causing your sight to become erratic and unreliable 1-2 Your vision expands as if you are under the effect of the see invisibility spell. 3-7 Spectral forms flitter at the corners of your eyes, vanishing when you turn your head. 8-10 You are blinded, and you can't use any special senses you use to see, such as blindsight or tremorsense. 31-40 The madness inside you bursts forth as haunting screams 1-2 Your scream is so loud that it can cause damage. As a bonus action on each of your turns, you can scream at a creature you see within 30 feet of you. If the target can hear you, it must make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw, taking 1d12 thunder damage on a failure or half as much damage on a success. 3-7 You can’t talk properly; yelling is the only way you can communicate. 8-10 Your screams are so overwhelming that any creature within 300 feet of you can hear you talk. You also can’t form coherent sentences or utter the vocal components of spells. 41-50 Your posture crumples, as you try to make sense of the insanity before you 1-2 You become incredibly skittish. When you are the target of an attack or an effect that requires you to make a Dexterity saving throw, you can use your reaction to begin moving evasively, gaining a +1 bonus to your AC and advantage on Dexterity saving throws until the start of your next turn. 3-7 You desperately look for a parental figure that can protect you. Once you find such a person, you latch on to them and refuse to leave their side, no matter what. 8-10 You fall prone and can’t stand, as your legs refuse to obey you, and you can’t use any flying speed you possess. 51-60 You realize that your hands are blasphemous tools 1-2 These tools can break the minds of your foes. Once per turn when you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can deal an additional 1d8 psychic damage to it. 3-7 You refuse to use your hands for anything, keeping them hidden from view. If someone stares at them, it makes you extremely uncomfortable and defensive. 8-10 You shouldn’t touch anything. You drop anything you are holding , and can’t hold items or grapple creatures. 61-70 Your body breaks down under the insanity. 1-2 You are immune to the poisoned condition. 3-7 You start emitting a foul smell that is unpleasant even to you, and no amount of washing or magic can remove it. 8-10 You are poisoned, even if you are immune to the condition. 71-80 The Eldritch Horrors are revealed to you, bathing you in fear. 1-2 Each creature within 30 feet of you must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened of you for 1 minute. A frightened creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. 3-7 You become paranoid and fearful of any movement or sound. 8-10 You become frightened of your allies. You must take the Dash action and move away from them by the quickest available route on each of your turns, unless there is nowhere to move. If you start your turn in a location where you can’t see any of your allies, you can use your action to end the madness. 81-90 The madness breaks your mind. 1-2 You realize your mind has been holding back your body, and you can now act freely. You have an additional action on each of your turns. That action can be used only to take the Dash, Disengage, Hide, or Use an Object action. 3-7 You burst into spontaneous fits of laughter randomly, even at the most inappropriate times. 8-10 You are incapacitated. This effect ends early if you take damage equal to at least twice your level or if a greater restoration spell is cast on you. 91-95 The revelations from beyond afflict you. 1-2 Your body ignores all pain, only the Eldritch Truth matters; you are immune to the stunned condition. 3-7 You speak to others of the Eldritch Truth in a way that seems limpid to you, but is perhaps not so clear to others. Your sentences are cryptic for the unascended mind. 8-10 You are stunned. This effect ends early if you take damage equal to your level or if a greater restoration spell is cast on you. 96-100 The beast within you awakens and attempts to take control. 1-2 Your body releases its animalistic instincts, without the influence of your mind to restrain it. You are under the effect of the haste spell, although it doesn’t require concentration. The spell ends when the madness does. 3-7 Your speech is slurred, as if you’re intoxicated, and you punctuate your sentences with animal noises. 8-10 You fall unconscious, your mind fighting it's hardest to not let you become a beast. This effect ends early if you take damage equal to your level or if a greater restoration spell is cast on you. Long-TERM MADNESS D100 D10 Long-TermMadness 1-10 The eldritch corruption profoundly weakens your body. 1-2 Your frail body is easily pushed around; each time you take damage you are pushed back 10 feet. 3-7 You are easily fatigued, and physical effort puts a heavy toll on your body. You require 4 more hours than usual to complete a long rest. 8-10 Your legs can barely hold you up; each time you take damage you are knocked prone. 11-20 Otherworldly magic stirs within you 1-2 Your contact with the beyond awakens powers within you. You gain one random cantrip from the warlock spell list. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for this spell. 3-7 You become repulsed by this world’s magic. Each time you cast or are affected by a spell, you retch and reel, losing your reaction until the start of your next turn. 8-10 You cannot handle the newfound magic within you, which sporadically seeps from you when injured. Whenever you take 15 or more points of damage from a single attack, you explode in a discharge of arcane energy. Each creature in a 10-foot radius centered on you (including you) must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or take 2d10 force damage. This explosion cannot be triggered again for 1d6 rounds. 21-30 Your sense of worth shatters 1-2 Intense paranoia forces you to be on the alert for anything and anyone, protecting what little is left of you. You gain a 1d4 bonus to any Perception or Insight check that you make. 3-7 You are sulking and sullen; these negative thoughts in your head cause you to demean yourself during any conversation you have. 8-10 Your worthlessness seeps into every aspect of your life, gnawing at whatever remnant of competence you have left. Any time you make an ability check, roll 1d4 and subtract the number rolled from the result. 31-40 You lose perception of your power. 1-2 Not realizing your limits, you push yourself beyond what you are capable of. Whenever you deal damage, add damage equal to one roll of the lowest damage die used. 3-7 You don’t realize your strength; whenever you have to use your body, you either put way too much force or not enough. Your handshakes can be like a vice grip or dead fish, your hugs suffer the same fate, and any other physical activity you try to perform is a gamble. 8-10 Afraid of shattering your body, you involuntarily restrain your power. Whenever you deal damage, subtract damage equal to one roll of the lowest damage die used. 41-50 The Eldritch Truth reveals itself to you 1-2 Able to understand this Truth, you gain proficiency in a random Intelligence skill (chosen by the GM) and can add twice your proficiency bonus to any check you make using that skill. 3-7 You become fascinated by what lies beyond. Whenever you notice or hear of something of eldritch nature, you drop whatever you are doing to enquire more about it, and attempt to get closer to it, physically or otherwise. 8-10 The revelations from beyond beckon to you, urging you to learn more, to be more. You have disadvantage on saving throws against madness. 51-60 The madness ignites your nervous system, melting it away 1-2 Any pain you would feel completely vanishes. You are immune to being stunned and can only fall unconscious as a result of reaching 0 hit points. 3-7 Your damaged nerves transmit a constant feeling of itchiness. This feeling vanishes when your skin is in direct contact with metal. 8-10 You are in constant pain from the nerve damage, which prevents you from focusing or bringing your utmost in battle. You can’t add your Dexterity modifier to your Armor Class and have disadvantage on all Dexterity checks and saving throws. 61-70 Powers from beyond grasp you and merge with your body 1-2 You manage to bring these otherworldly powers under your control. You have advantage on Constitution saving throws to maintain concentration. In addition, if you fail a saving throw, you can choose to succeed instead. If you do, you then need to roll on the long-term madness table again, gaining a new effect. 3-7 Attempting to understand what has merged with you, you start experiencing derealization. You are completely alienated from your surroundings at all times, and get surprised by any physical contact. 8-10 These new powers are too much for you to handle, draining your mind. You have disadvantage on Intelligence checks, Wisdom checks, and Charisma checks, as well as Constitution saving throws to maintain concentration. 71-80 Your heart begins to falter, such a reality cannot possibly exist 1-2 Your elevated heart rate increases your awareness. You gain a +3 bonus to your passive Wisdom (Perception) score and your initiative. 3-7 The unexpected is too much for you to handle. Whenever you are surprised you scream at the top of your lungs. If you are surprised in combat, you fall unconscious until the start of your next turn. 8-10 Your heart weakens, literally. You gain a level of exhaustion which cannot be removed until the madness ends. Whenever you become frightened, you gain another level of exhaustion. Apart from the first, exhaustion gained from this madness can be removed as normal. 81-90 Your futile attempts at staving off the madness have left your body scarred 1-2 The scar tissue only thickens your skin. You gain a +1 bonus to AC. 3-7 The scars that cover your body are beyond repulsive, causing most people to experience fear at their sight, especially children. You have a +2 bonus to Intimidation checks and a -2 penalty to Persuasion checks. 8-10 You suffer severe scarring over an extensive portion of your anatomy. Anytime you suffer bludgeoning, piercing or slashing damage, you suffer an additional 1d6 damage of that type. 91-95 The madness causes your body to rot, unable to withstand the eldritch influence 1-2 Your mind embraces the idea that your body will rot away, and welcomes it; after all, everyone withers away eventually. You have immunity to the poisoned condition. 3-7 The rot within your body is nauseating. You experience a constant feeling of disgust, and any time you smell something foul, you spend your Action heaving. 8-10 Vicious wounds of eldritch nature ravage your flesh. Your hit point maximum is reduced by 1 every 24 hours. If your hit point maximum drops to 0, you die. You or another creature can tend to the wounds during a long rest, making a DC 16 Wisdom (Medicine) check once every 24 hours. After five successes, the wounds heals. 96-100 The beast within you awakens and takes control 1-2 Most of your humanity remains, yet enough of the beast is unleashed. You gain advantage on Dexterity saving throws. In addition, each of your hands transforms into a claw, which you can use as a weapon if it’s empty. It deals 1d6 slashing damage on a hit. Once on each of your turns when you attack with a claw using the Attack action, you can make one additional claw attack as part of the same action. 3-7 Your body transforms, yet a trace of your humanity remains. Your race becomes scourgeborne, with a random subrace. Scourgebornes and constructed races, such as manikins, are immune to this effect. 8-10 Your body transforms into a beast or monstrosity of the GM’s choice with CR equal to half your level (rounded up). Apart from this, your transformation follows the rules of the polymorph spell, though if you fall to 0 hit points, you fall unconscious instead of reverting to your normal form. Permanent A Vengeful Reality and Magic Untamed: Spell Rebound Effects This section is the revised version of the Spell Rebound Table section in Historica Arcanum: The City of Crescent (p.58). Magic comes at a price. This is the first lesson every disciple of the arcane arts learns, the easy way, or the hard way, whether they are in the esteemed arcane chambers of mighty libraries, twilight forests with the deepest roots, the coldest zeniths of the highest mountain or amongst scorching deserts where the dunes forgive nothing. A GM may want to include these rules in a game set in the world of Historica Arcanum to show why magic is considered dangerous universally and add some consequence to spell casting. Core Mechanic In the table below, a trigger for a Spell Rebound is shown depending on the caster’s proficiency bonus. However, a GM may deem a situation to be appropriate for a Spell Rebound. PR.BONUS TRIGGER +2 Expending all spell slots. +3 Expending a highest level spell slot 2 . +4 Casting two spells in successive rounds or in the same round 3 . Cantrips do not count. +5 Casting a spell that includes a damage roll 4 . +6 Casting a spell of 6th level or higher. +7 or higher 1 Dropping a creature to 0 hit points with a spell, magical ability, a supernatural feature or the like or restoring life to a creature while it is on 0 hit points with a spell or a similar magical effect. 1 The usual maximum proficiency bonus for a player character is +6. Some creatures may have higher proficiency bonuses than that, such as a lich or an ancient red dragon, but those kinds of immensely powerful creatures are very rare or nonexistent in the Historica Arcanum universe. 2 For warlocks, this trigger is considered as “Casting a spell that is provided with Eldritch Invocations requires to expend a spell slot or somehow limited way, such as casting compulsion through bewitching whispers.” 3 Such as casting the magic missile spell on its own initiative count and casting the shield spell at another creature’s turn but during the same round. 4 Such as fireball, magic missile, blight, and scorching ray. Cantrips do not count. Triggers are cumulative. If a creature has +4 proficiency bonus, the triggers for lower proficiency bonuses apply as well. Trigger The character makes a saving throw using the same ability used for spellcasting. For example, a wizard makes an Intelligence saving throw because the wizard’s spellcasting ability is Intelligence. The DC equals the character’s own spell save DC. On a failed save, consult the Effects table below. On a successful save, nothing happens, and the character cannot trigger the same Spell Rebound until it finishes a long rest (A creature that fails can trigger the effects again). If it can trigger it by another means, the trigger will happen again. For example, a 5th level wizard casting a fireball triggers the spell rebound. When the wizard expends their last spell slot, the spell rebound is triggered again. If a creature has two separate spellcasting ability scores due to multiclassing, taking a feat or other reasons, the source of the spell determines the ability score. If a spell somehow comes from separate sources at once, use the highest DC possible. Some situations can cause more than one trigger, so each one requires its own saving throw. Effects There are three types of effects: Cosmetic, Destructive, and Internal. Cosmetic effects usually do not harm creatures or affect nearby objects or constructs in the means of dealing damage, but it may bring many social or similar consequences with them. Destructive effects usually damage nearby people and/or objects, possibly including the caster. Internal effects usually only affect the caster. There are alternative ways to determine which category of effect occurs: F A GM may roll a d6 and choose which categorical effect occurs. ● 1-2: Destructive ● 3-4: Internal ● 5-6: Cosmetic It may depend on the school of magic the spell that triggers the effect. A GM may choose a different category from the ones listed below: ● Abjuration: Internal ● Conjuration: Destructive ● Divination: Cosmetic ● Enchantment: Cosmetic ● Evocation: Destructive ● Illusion: Cosmetic ● Necromancy: Internal ● Transmutation: Internal F The GM may decide which category to use depending on the triggering spell’s theme, effect, or type. For example, a healing word spell may cause internal damage, while a damaging spell could cause destructive damage. A necromancy spell may cause internal damage regardless. F It may depend on the situation. If the caster tries to harm someone, the effect could be internal. If the caster is deceiving someone, the effect could be cosmetic. The Exceptions 1. Some spells are ignored when its casting coincides with a trigger: detect magic, identify, lesser restoration, dispel magic, counterspell, greater restoration and antimagic field. (Except 9th level spell slots) 2. Casting a spell that is 4th level or higher from a spell scroll always causes a trigger. 3. Using a class feature or a similar effect that enables a creature to cast a spell of 3rd level or higher or expending a spell slot of 3rd level or higher directly causes a trigger. For example, mystic arcanum of a warlock, divine smite (3rd level or higher) of a paladin. 4. Some vague but apparently magical features require the caster to succeed a Constitution saving throw. The DC is equal to caster level’s + its proficiency bonus. On a failed save, it causes a trigger. These magical features include channel divinity, some eldritch invocations 5. Casting a 9th level spell or expending a 9th level spell slot is counted as another destructive trigger, no matter what the spell is. As an optional rule, you can check out the Plague & Disease Module in Empires of the Silk Road for Rituals or Magical Symptoms to replace an Effect or a Special Condition. For example, Power Drain could be an effect, and its special condition can be “can be removed by a Clover Ritual.” Cosmetic Effects These effects usually cause visual changes on the caster or its surroundings. Applying advantage or disadvantage on a check besides the stated effects is up to the GM. For example, the first and fourth effects could cause disadvantage on Charisma checks as well. The GM rolls on the table or determines which effect occurs (The options below only provides ideas and guides, the GM may come up with their own effects): D10 COSMETIC EFFECT SPECIAL CONDITION 1 Stutter: The caster stutters for the next 3d6 hours. Disadvantage on spell attack rolls for the duration (Spells with verbal component). 2 Bodily Dysfunction: The caster suffers a malevolent effect that badly affects the body. For example, if the leg is affected, the caster may suffer a limp and thus have his walking speed reduced to half. It lasts for 3d4 days. 3 Rot: Vegetables and plants within 120 ft. of the caster wither and die. It lasts 2d6 days. 4 Pale Skin: The caster appears sickly and extremely pale. It lasts 2d6 days. 5 Glow in the Dark: The caster’s eyes or other limbs (for example, their hand) glow in total darkness. It lasts for 3d4 days. 6 Scar: The caster receives a scar determined by the GM. It can’t be removed. 7 Wild Despise: The wild seems to despise the caster. Wild beasts are aggressive towards them, and urban animals are terrified of them. Dogs and cats alike usually hiss and growl at the caster. Chewing a three-leaf clover at the start of the day reduces the aggressiveness of the beasts. 8 Shaking Hands: The caster’s hands start to shake, and it constantly gets worse. The caster has disadvantage on Dexterity or Strength check that is related to the hands. It lasts for 2d4 days. 9 Constant Cold: The caster constantly feels cold and appears to be shivering. While in extreme heat, this effect is not seen. 10 Reflection Mishap: The caster’s reflection in proper surfaces may occur differently, such as facing in the wrong direction, doing something else entirely: crying, appearing angry or appearing extremely happy. These mishaps usually happen briefly, for mere seconds, and disappear. These effects can be seen for 2d8 days. Destructive Effects Many effects trigger a saving throw. While dealing with those effects, the DC is equal to the caster’s spell save DC. If not specified, the caster also gets affected by the effect. The GM rolls on the table or determines which effect occurs: D10 DESTRUCTIVE EFFECT SPECIAL CONDITION 1 Hellfire: The flames erupt from you as if you are bringing the fire itself from the depths of Tartarus. Any object that is flammable catches fire within 120 ft. of the caster. Each creature within 120 ft. must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or take 5d6 fire damage. Each proficiency bonus after +2 adds another 2d6 fire damage. A counterspell stops this effect if the triggering spell is 3rd level or lower. If it is higher, the DC is equal to 10 + spell slot’s level. 2 Quake: The ground shakes . Each creature within 300 ft. must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or fall prone. For the next minute the shake continues and standing up requires another Dexterity saving throw. Each fail results in 1d6 bludgeoning damage. Each proficiency bonus after +2 deals another 2d6 damage. 3 Blinding Light: A bright light erupts from the caster. Each creature within 120 ft. of the caster must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be blinded. At the end of each day, the affected creatures can make another saving throw to be free from the effect. A greater restoration spell reverses this effect. 4 Deafening Sound: A horrible scream, a crash of thunder, or another loud noise is heard within 300 ft. of the caster. Each creature within the area must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be deafened. At the end of each day, the affected creatures can make another saving throw to be free from the effect. A greater restoration spell reverses this effect. 5 Poison Aura: A foul stench overwhelms you. Each creature within 60 ft. of the caster must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for the next 4d6 hours, and they take 3d6 poison damage (damage occurs only once). Each proficiency bonus after +2 deals another 2d6 damage. The stench stays in the area for the next 2d4 hours. Each creature that enters the area or starts its turn there must make the saving throw. A lesser restoration or a greater restoration spell reverses this effect. 6 Smell of Mortem: A feeling of dread and the impending doom of time surrounds the area. Each creature within 120 ft. of the caster must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or age 1d6 x 5 years. The magical aura stays there for 24 hours. Each creature that enters the area or starts its turn there must make the saving throw. A greater restoration spell reverses this effect. 7 March of the Dead: A loud heartbeat fills the caster’s mind and creates an aura within 300 ft. of it. Dead creatures within the aura become undead creatures proper to their state and body. The creatures in the aura take 1d6 necrotic damage at the start of each of their turns or when they enter the first time; the undead are immune to this. The undead created by this aura are relentless and attack everyone on sight. If no creature has become undead, a blast within the area deals each creature 2d6 necrotic damage. A touch of a believer immediately destroys the undead if it is CR 1/4 or lower. 8 Thunderous Hands: A flash of lightning erupts from the caster. Each creature within 120 ft. of the caster must succeed on DC 15 Constitution saving throw or take 3d6 lightning damage. The creatures that have failed take extra 1d6 lightning damage whenever they touch a metal object. This effect lasts for 2d4 days. Spending a long rest on a soil that at least one believer prayed on will end the effect early. 9 Enduring Cold: The reign of foretold winter in the ancient myths comes to life within 120 ft. of the caster. Each creature within range must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or take 3d6 cold damage, or half of it on a successful save. Each proficiency bonus after +2 adds another 2d6 cold damage. The cold aura persists after the first blast. If a creature enters the aura for the first time or starts its turn there, it takes 1d6 cold damage. A counterspell stops this effect if the triggering spell is 3rd level or lower. If it is higher, the DC equals to 10 + spell slot’s level. 10 Aura of Nightmare: A voice from the apocalypse reaches out from the depths with a vision of terror. Each creature within 120 ft. of the caster must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, they see random visions and hallucinations. In addition, whenever they attempt a long rest, they must succeed on a DC 10 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, they can’t benefit from a long rest, as their sleep is haunted by terrible nightmares. Starting the long rest while having the good will and/or the blessing of an innocent creature gives the caster an advantage on the saving throw. Internal Effects The GM rolls on the table or determines which effect occurs: D10 INTERNAL EFFECT SPECIAL CONDITION 1 The caster has disadvantage on saving throws for the next 1d6 hours. - 2 The caster gains two levels of exhaustion. A greater restoration spell reduces all exhaustion related to spell rebound. 3 The caster can’t cast a spell for the next 3d6 hours. This includes cantrips and features like divine smite. If the caster receives an inspiration, it can spend it to cast a spell. A spell cast this way must be 3rd level or lower. 4 The caster can’t gain any benefit from a short or long rest for the next 1d6 days. A greater restoration spell reverses this effect. 5 The caster’s spell save DC is reduced by 1d4 for the next 24 hours. A greater restoration spell reverses this effect. 6 The caster has a short term memory loss. It lasts for 4d6 hours. If the caster receives a hug or a kiss from a loved one, the effect ends early (minimum of 1 hour). 7 The caster loses the ability to move one of their limbs. A greater restoration spell reverses this effect. 8 The caster loses the ability to see or to hear for the next 24 hours. - 9 The caster’s maximum HP is reduced by 1d6. Each proficiency bonus after +2 reduces it for another 3d6. For example, a creature with +4 proficiency loses 7d6 maximum HP. A greater restoration spell reverses this effect. 10 The caster is driven mad in a way determined by the GM. Spell Rebound Effects can be applied as a curse or a similar effect in other settings. For example, a wizard can be cursed by a fey lover to deal with the spell rebound until he completes a daring task. A paladin must take this burden until she atones for her sins. A warlock may anger his patron, and until the patron is appeased, the warlock may be cursed with something unpleasant, and probably painful. There may be cursed objects, such as staffs or wands that could give one of these effects or witch covens could curse a heroic adventuring party. Permanent Effects Apart from any instant effects which are triggered, many characters may develop permanent effects due to using magic for a long period of time, having badly failed the trigger, or using dangerous spells frequently. A GM may choose some of the effects below for players characters and NPCs in the current setting, our adventure The Sigil of Jerusalem and some NPCs that are encountered in this book, or the ones that they create when playing. For example, in The Sigil of Jerusalem, Al-Jazari has the Arcane Ark feature of the Permanent effects. Permanent Effects must be extremely hard to remove if not entirely impossible (there are few useful effects, if the caster is lucky). Gaining divine favors, completing daring quests, seeking out holy fountains, or similar solutions must be pursued. D20 PERMANENT EFFECT 1 Troubled Mind: Supernatural toxins begin to leach into the mind of the caster, slowly pushing them towards amnesia, paranoia or psychopathy. It starts with small things in their life and slowly gets more serious. Triggering spell rebound effects accelerates the process. 2 Speechless: The caster loses the ability to speak. 3 Staring at the Sun: The caster is blinded and its cornea is scorched. 4 Deep in the Sea: The caster is deafened. Each dawn its ears bleed. 5 Useless Limb: One of the caster’s limbs becomes numb and useless. 6 Rotting Body: The rot starts as just a dot on the caster’s body. It slowly grows (timing determined by the GM). If it covers a whole limb, it will make it useless. If the rot manages to cover the whole head or chest, the caster dies and cannot be resurrected. The only exception may be the wish spell. 7 Eye for an Eye: The caster loses one eye. It slowly rots away. 8 Plagued: Each morning the caster must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for the rest of the day. 9 Poisonous Water: Whenever the caster drinks water, it takes 2d8 acid damage. It can’t benefit from drinking water. 10 Arcane Drain: The caster slowly loses its spellcasting ability, starting from highest level spell slots. If the caster has access to multiple sources of magic (such as multiclass), all wither slowly without exception. 11 Aura: The caster has an aura determined by the GM. The aura may be visible, such as the caster may seem darker among the shadows, the light sources may grow weaker within 20 ft. of it, or similar. The aura may be an invisible one and affect creatures in a mental way, such as making people angrier, sadder, or the like. 12 Eyes among the Shadow: The caster’s eyes become sensitive to the sunlight. While in sunlight, the caster has disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight. 13 No Reflection: The caster casts no reflection in mirrors and other reflective surfaces. 14 Forbiddence: The caster can’t enter a residence without an invitation from one of its occupants. 15 Wither and Bloom: The caster, by touch, can accelerate or reverse an object’s rot/decay. For example a sword rusts away, a piece of bread sprouts mold and so on. 16 Crimson Touch: When the caster touches an object, it can be ignited if it is flammable. In addition, the object may illuminate light (10 ft. bright, 10 ft. dim) until dispelled. 17 Wild Presence: The caster slowly resembles an entity from the wilds and the heart of the world. Its looks may resemble a wild beast, a tremendous monstrosity or a vicious predator. Its hair may become green, it could smell of soil after rain or its speech raises listeners' hackles as surely as a wolf's howl. Its nails could grow out to claws or its teeth may curve into fangs. 18 Abyssal Being. The caster slowly resembles an abyssal being, a fiendish creature. Its eyes may glow a sinister red or orange, it may give out a sulfuric stench, its skin may resemble a reddish color, or a similar effect. 19 Divine Presence: The caster slowly resembles an angelic being, a celestial creature. Its body may shine dimly in the darkness, its eyes may shine like an angel, its limbs may resemble beams of light, or a similar effect. 20 Arcane Ark: The caster has advantage on saving throws against spells and magical effects. Grim weapons Bows, pitchforks, staves, daggers, or axes: whatever means characters use to tackle the creatures of the night, they will inevitably suffer corruption. Weapons will slowly soak with darkness, until they are tools bound to the Ènferun, imbued in a necrotic aura, and veiled by a dark halo. Those who wield a Grim Weapon assert that it almost has a will of its own, craving vileness and exuding animosity towards its wielder. TURNING GRIM: THE CORRUPTION OF WOOD AND STEEL The weapon delivering the fatal blow to a creature from Ènferun, or one connected to it, absorbs the vile essence of that realm. Whenever a weapon deals the killing blow to an Aberration, a Fiend or an Undead, it gains 1 Grim Point. Each weapon withstands a different amount of Grim Points, namely the Grim Threshold, before turning into a Grim Weapon. This amount is smaller in common and simple weapons, and it increases in rare and powerful weapons. Weapon Grim Threshold Club, Sickle; Dart, Sling 3 Greatclub, Javelin, Light Hammer, Mace; Blowgun 4 Handaxe, Quarterstaff, Spear, Trident, Whip; Crossbow (hand), Crossbow (light), Shortbow 5 Flail, Morning Star, Scimitar, Short Sword, War Pick 7 Battleaxe, Longsword, Rapier, Warhammer; Crossbow (heavy) 10 Glaive, Greataxe, Greatsword, Halberd, Lance, Maul, Pike; Longbow 13 NEW FEATURE: GRIM WEAPON The Grim Weapon Feature does not replace a weapon’s former features, but rather overlaps them (for example: a Grim Flaming Flail is still covered in flames). The wielder of a Grim Weapon has Advantage on Attack Rolls against Aberrations, Fiends or Undead. It is also to be considered magical as far as Resistances and Immunities to damage go. The wielder of a Grim Weapon is obsessed with it and will never willingly give it up: it symbolizes the many battles fought against horrid and deadly creatures; it is both a point of pride and a charm to soothe the terror felt during said battles. The character has Advantage on Intimidation checks whenever they touch their Grim Weapon: just laying the hand on the hilt permeates them with a dreadful aura. SPIRITUAL FESTERING A Grim Weapon grants its wielder with added effectiveness in fighting monsters spawning from the dark, and imposing their will on mortals through its ominous feel. Even so, it takes a terrible toll on the soul: • Carrying a Grim Weapon decreases the wielder’s Maximum Soul Points by an amount equal to the weapon’s Grim Threshold. Therefore, only the foolish gather more than one or two Grim Weapons if they have not the required spiritual fortitude. • Any failed attack roll with the weapon entails the lossof 1 Soul Point: the darkness within the weapon thrives on failure and frustration while enticing its wielder with more power. • A natural 1 on an Attack Roll is particularly malicious: the character makes a Wisdom Saving Throw, DC 15, to avoid one random Soul Affliction, described below. Roll (1d10) Soul Affliction Effect (duration 1d10 minutes) 1 Soul Chains The character feels as if cold and malevolent chains grow out of their weapon, wrapping their soul and leaving them helpless. While their body is feverish and trembling, the character becomes paralyzed until they take damage. 2 Shattered Self The weapon shatters the character's soul with a mighty, metaphorical blow to the very core of their being. The hair on the back of their neck stand up, and the character is incapacitated, obsessively going from laughing to crying to babbling. 3 Dread Visage A reflection of their very soul shows the character a glimpse of Ènferun. Their eyes are filled with blackness, seeing nothing but a dreadful delusion which leaves them frightened and fleeing from battle at every turn. 4 Tongue of Blight Darkness seeps into the character's mouth, making their tongue black, sharp and putrescent, and any of their words unintelligible to anyone apart from Possessed Ones and Incubi. 5 Dark Rage Primeval darkness feeds on the character's anger and embitterment, leaving them incapable of telling friends from foes. Their skin glows with red and is ridden with swelling veins. Every turn, the character automatically attacks the nearest creature. 6 Grievous Delusion The character faces lifelike, occult delusions coming straight from Ènferun wherever they turn. Ink black tears flow down their face. They have Disadvantage on any Ability check. 7 Pathetic Enslavement The weapon severs the character from their sense of self and their decisiveness. Their posture is that of defeat and their head bowed, the character subdues to any order given to them , apart from the indisputably self-destructive ones. 8 Unquenchable Gluttony The weapon fills the character with inadequacy and existential dread quenchable only through foul gluttony. Everything becomes nourishment: after exhausting their rations and anything edible, they will not relinquish consuming rotting remains, dirt, rubbish or any other sustenance within reach. Their mouth expands unnaturally, their jaw is dislocated like a snake's. 9 Abyssal Gazing The imbuing vileness of the weapon shows the character a vision as sublime as it is horrifying. It enthralls the character's gaze, which starts turning all white, blinding and dazing them. 10 Abyssal Downfall Darkness lures the character to the edge of a precipice, before dragging them down into oblivion. Sinews crumble and the character falls unconscious, like a puppet whose strings were cut. CLEANSING A WEAPON FROM CORRUPTION A weapon that has not yet reached its Grim Threshold but acquired some Grim Points can be cleansed with a Vial of Holy Water: the water evaporates at first contact in a black fume vaguely smelling of mint and lemon; the weapon loses half of its Grim Points minimum of 1(rounded up). A fully corrupted Grim Weapon, instead, can only be cleansed with a vial of Lunar Elixir, also known as Moonwater: drenched in it, a Grim Weapon turns back into a normal weapon and without Grim Points. As an alternative, Lunar Elixir can be used while forging the weapon to double its Grim Threshold (for example: a battleaxe cooled down in Moonwater has a Grim Threshold of 20 instead of 10). Weapons quenched in Moonwater usually cost 1000 gp more than ordinary. Lunar Elixir: This transparent fluid is created by mixing water, platinum dust (costs 250 gp) and a drop of blood (the equivalent of 1 Hit Point and 1 Soul Point) from a strong-spirited person (at least 60 Soul Points at the moment of creation). The necessary ritual takes an Intelligence (Religion) check, DC 15, 4 hours for completion, performed outdoors, and the casting of a Bless spell, 3rd level or greater. A roll that fails by 5 or more means the ritual failed but the components were still spent.