Madness¶

Some things are so shocking, such an affront to the natural order, that they threaten the minds of those who experience them. Depraved demons, grotesque monstrosities, impossible aberrations, and forbidden lore are just a few of the unhinging horrors adventurers might suffer.

The following rules are meant to add fun to the game. They are intended as an opportunity for players to temporarily mix things up, tainting their character's usual outlook with strange and possibly dangerous eccentricities. If your table is not interested in such things, feel free to ignore this section.

Madness Traits¶

When a character's sanity is threatened, a Luck (Will) save is usually permitted to resist. On a failure the adventurer develops a madness trait. The table below provides some examples, but GMs and players are encouraged to devise their own, tailored to the character and scenario at hand.

1d20	MADNESS TRAIT
1	“Do not be alarmed. The tremors and flashbacks come upon me every nightfall. They will subside by the morning.”
2	“Something sinister is following us. Sometimes I catch a glimpse of it from the corner of my eye.”
3	“Have no fear, my friend. I am the greatest warrior that ever lived. There is no foe we cannot overcome.”
4	“I must close every door I walk through. It keeps the Old One at bay.”
5	“This is no ordinary spider web. It is an ill omen. Five trapped insects struggling to be free, just as we five are trapped here in this forsaken ruin! We must turn back before it is too late.”
6	“My apologies, please forgive my laughter. In recent times my sense of levity has become skewed. I understand this is a very serious situation. Do continue.”
7	“I cannot abide the smell of beastmen any longer! The stink makes me wretch. I must leave this place or cut off my nose.”
8	“I can’t put my finger on it, but ever since [insert event] there has been something very wrong with [insert ally name]. Keep a close eye, sister.”
9	“I grow weary of being exploited and taken advantage of all the time. From now on, I give the orders round here.”
10	“Who is this burly dwarf with the broad axe? I think I would remember her if she were our ally as you claim. What sorcery is this? Who are you, wench!?”
11	“On occasion I lose the power of speech. Sometimes for days. They say I am cursed, or mad. Perhaps I am. But there is a secret in the silence, and I will be the one to uncover it.”
12	“If I draw my sword, one of us must die. Such is the price that the Blood God demands. I dare not disobey.”
13	“It is a curious thing, but the more I lie and exaggerate, the more others respect me.”
14	“The more people I meet, the more I care only for myself.”
15	“I keep my dear friend’s ear with me always. As long as I have it, I know he can still hear me.”
16	“I don’t feel anything anymore. Not since [insert event].”
17	“Can you not see her? The cloaked woman in the shadow of the trees? Is she saying something, I can’t make it out?”
18	“Bloodshed unleashes the demon within me. Keep well clear and loose the nets if I cannot shake the bloodlust once the last of our foes is dead.”
19	“Sometimes I black out and wake up elsewhere, with no memory of how I got there.”
20	“I am whispering because even here they are likely listening. You would be wise to do the same.”

Madness Severity & Penalties¶

A madness usually begins at the minor severity level, presenting infrequently and at low intensity. Additional exposure to horror however, and failed Luck (Will) saves, may increase the severity of an existing madness or manifest as a new madness trait, at the GM’s discretion.

From time to time, the GM may determine that a madness imposes a penalty on a current action.For example, an adventurer distracted by flashbacks or hallucinations at the wrong moment may have a penalty to spot enemies waiting in ambush. The severity table is meant as a ballpark guide, and GMs are encouraged to apply penalties in a restrained and organic manner. In many instances, particularly social encounters, players might instigate their own penalties.

Magical Healing¶

The Cure Malady spell removes one minor madness or reduces a more severe madness by one level.

Progression & Remission¶

Between adventures, an adventurer makes a Will check for each current madness. A success reduces the madness by one severity level or removes a minor madness entirely. An unsuccessful check increases the severity by one level. GM's might rule that extended personal care from an apothecary grants advantage, or that a failed check does not increase the severity of the madness, instead stabilising it at the current level.

An adventurer whose madness reaches incapacitating level generally goes into compulsory retirement.

SEVERITY	FREQUENCY & INTENSITY	PENALTY
Minor	Rarely presents and/or weak compulsion.	Once per adventure
Moderate	Occasional presentation and/or moderate compulsion.	Once/long rest
Serious	Commonly presents and/or strong compulsion.	Once/day
Pervasive	Near continuous presentation and/or extreme compulsion.	Multiple times/day
Incapacitating	Effective mental shutdown. The PC's adventuring career is either on hold or at an end.	Special

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