Corruption

Some places are so evil that exposure to them marks, or corrupts, a character in a very real and difficult-to-cleanse way. Corruption is evil. It is a taint so deep it warps the very plane of reality. Beyond the Great Barrier lies the lost lands where the Pestilence still lingers. Though it's lethality has waned over the centuries, it is still a very real threat.

Becoming Tainted

Initial exposure to a tainted place or tainted object gives a character 1d6 points of taint.

For every 1 hour spent in a tainted place a character must make a Fortitude saving throw. The base DC is 10, +1 for every consecutive 1 hour of exposure. If the character fails his saving throw, his taint score increases by 1.

Because of their good Fortitude saves, most barbarians, fighters, monks, paladins, and rangers resist taint better than members of other classes. Bards, rogues, sorcerers, and wizards are much more susceptible to taint.

Taint-Absorbing Items

Some natural substances absorb corruption 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 gp each.

As an item absorbs corruption, 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. Note, that once an item starts to absorb corruption, it is doomed to fade. The timer starts and doesn't stop until the item is worthless.

Effects of Corruption

As the corruption from the Lost Lands warp a characters mind and body, they begin to take on certain traits. But, the corruption is a disease that will kill them eventually without the help of powerful divine magic.

Manifestations of Corruption

As your character gains ranks in corruption, their tainted nature becomes more appearant. At each rank, they choose a feature from below. If their corruption is cured and they gain it agian, they may rechoose the manifestations at that time. When picking manifestations, you may choose a Rank lower than your current rank.

Rank 1 Features

Corrupted blood: Thin black veins appear on the face, chest and hands. The character gains the feat improved toughness.
Corrupted Sight: The characters eyes become pitch black. The character gains dark vision out to 60 ft.
Claws: The character's nails harden into blackened claws. The character gains a natural claw attack dealing 1d4+strength damage. On a full round, you can deal 2 claw damage.
Teeth: The character's canine teeth sharpen. The character gains a natural bite attack dealing 1d6+strength
Ebb Life: The character gain an aura of corruption. Plants slowly wilt in their shadow. Once per day as a free action when a living creature dies within 10ft, gain 5+corruption in temporary hit points. Animals, plants, constructs, and undead do not count as living creatures for this ability.

Rank 2 Features

Abyssal Resistance: Your body gains a strange violet sheen that is only noticable on very close inspection. The character gains resistance to electricity and poison equal to their corruption level. .
Abyssal Mind: small barely noticable ridges form in the center of your forhead under the skin. The character gains telepathy of 50ft.
Recall: You have the faint scent of brimstone. 1/day you can castRegroup.
Dimension Jumper: The character has a faint scent of brimstone. 1/day you can cast Dimension Jumper
Tounges of the Pit: The inside of your mouth turns purple with corruption. The character gains the languages Abyssal, Celestial, and Draconic.

Rank 3 Features

Abyssal Hide: You gain small black scales over your body. The character's natural armor improves by +3.
Corrupted Touch: The thouch of your hands bring pain. Gain a touch attack that deals 1d6 negative energy damage. This damage can be done with natural weapons.
Manifest Flight: You can manifest shadowy wings 1/day for 10 min, gaining flight equal to your speed with perfect manuverability.
Cannibalize: Eating a dead humanoid gives you a +5 bonus to damage and heals you as if you have rested for the day.
Abyssal Stomach: Your breath takes on a foul odor. You gain the ability 1/day to deal 7d6 acid damage in a 30 ft line, reflex save halves. The DC is equal to 10+1/2 hit dice+Con modifier.

Rank 4 Features

Horns: Massive horns manifest from your skull. You gain a gore attack that you can do after a charge dealing 2d6+strength and a half damage
Demon Wings: Demonic wings protrude from your should blades. You gain flight equal to 40 ft. (average) Tail: You gain a tail attack equal to 1d8+strength and a half, and you can make a trip attack with no attack of opportunity after a successful attack. Cloven hooves: Your legs have tranformed to that of a goat. The character gains +10 to movement speed.
Abyssal Build: Your body becomes twisted with thick knotted muscle. The character gains a +4 profane bonus to strength.

Resurrection

A character with corruption is harder to resurrect. Depending on the rank, you will need stronger spells to resurrect your fallen ally. With Rank 1 through 3, you can resurrect a character with raise and resurrectoin spells. But, you will need a caster level check of 15+rank. With Rank 4 through Rank 5, only resurrectoin magic will work with the same caster level check requiered. Rank 6 only true resurrection or miracle can return the fallen, with the caster level check equal to 25+rank. At level 8, since the fallen has become an outsider, resurrection is impossible.

Restoring Hit Points Naturally At the end of a rest, the characters corruption level is removed from any natural healing that would be done. Total bedrest does not double the amount of corruption reduced.

Purging Corruption

It is possible to remove taint from characters in several ways, including through the use of spells, the performance of good deeds, and cleansing in a sacred spring. Taint cannot be removed unless the tainted character wants to be cleansed.

Spells

The following spells can reduce taint scores when cast outside tainted areas. No character can have his taint score reduced by any particular spell more than once per day (though different spells can reduce taint if cast on the same character in the same day).

Heal

This spell reduces a character’s taint score by 1 point per three caster levels.

Miracle, wish

These spells cannot remove taint except by duplicating the effects of other spells mentioned here.

Remove curse, remove disease

These spells reduce a character’s taint score by 1 point.

Restoration

This spell reduces a character’s taint score by 1d12 point per four caster levels.

Greater restoration

This spell reduces a character’s taint score to it's current minimum.