Becoming Tainted

Initial exposure to a tainted place or tainted object gives a character 1d3 points of taint.

For every 24 hours spent in a tainted place, or spent carrying a tainted object, a character must make a Wisdom saving throw. The base DC is 10, +5 for every consecutive 24 hours of exposure. Multiple simultaneous exposures (such as carrying a tainted weapon in a tainted place) increase the DC by +5 per source of exposure every 24 hours. If the character fails their saving throw, their taint score increases by 1.

Table: Taint Effects
MildModerateSevere
Occasional nausea or vomitingBones begin to warp and thickenFlesh of nose rots away, leaving skull-like openings
Pain in jointsBlack, lichen-like growth across skin itches incessantlyMutated, deformed fingers, toes, leg, arm, head, ear, eye, or teeth begin to grow on inappropriate parts of the body, then shrivel, rot, and eventually fall off
Hair goes whiteReddened, burn-like sores and scarsSpine twists, back hunches
Mild paranoiaEye clouds or blood vessels break, obscuring visionSevere warping of skeleton; skull enlarges and deforms
DisorientationLips shrink back from gumsGreat swollen growths on the body
Increased aggressivenessGums swell, bleed, and rotLungs eaten away from inside—wet, labored, and painful breathing
Mild hallucinationsBleeding from eyes, nose, mouth, ears, or lipsEye falls out, leaving gaping socket that glows with eerie green light
Phlegmy, wracking coughHair falls outSkin peels off in papery sloughs at the slightest touch, leaving raw, red flesh beneath
Eyelid swells, obscuring visionUncontrollable seizures that wrack the body with spasmsFingers or toes begin to web and fuse
Pale, grayish, dead complexionEruption of painful soresIrresistible murderous urges
Sunken eyes, cracked lipsSores ooze blood, pus, foul-smelling ooze, spiders or insects, thick pasty substance, maggots, or acidic green slimeReduced to primitive behavior
Skin seeps greasy, yellowish “sweat”Hears voices of evil spiritsEats inedible or still-living things
Skin thickens, cracks, and turns leatherySevere paranoiaVoice that alternates between ethereal whispers and booming, inhuman roars
Fingertips blacken as if dipped in ashFits of uncontrollable, disturbing laughterIrregular, jagged growth of bony spurs protruding from the back and shoulders
Night terrors and nightmaresDisregard for hygiene and cultural moresComplete loss of physical form, existing only as a writhing, amorphous mass of energy

Taint-Absorbing Items

Some natural substances absorb taint and thus protect those who are exposed to carry them. Examples include a pure jade rod the size of a human finger, a sheet of vellum prepared from a year-old lamb, an intricately carved piece of lightning-struck oak, or a silk sash. The GM can create other examples appropriate to the campaign as well. Regardless of the shape or substance of the item, taint-absorbing items cost 100 sp each.

As an item absorbs taint, it darkens, softens, and gradually rots away over seven days. During that time, it absorbs all taint to which the carrier is exposed. Possessing multiple taint-absorbing items at the same time can protect a character for longer than seven days, but the benefit does not accumulate indefinitely, as shown on Table: Taint-Absorbing Items. Carrying too many taint-absorbing items will attract taint faster than it can be absorbed.

Table: Taint-Absorbing Items
Items PossessedDays of Protection
17
212
315
416
515
612
7 or more1