Dark Magic & Corruption

As a wizard explores the depths of dark magic, significant transformations can occur. This pursuit often stems from an intense desire for power, overwhelming fear, or profound hatred. The use of twisted magic and the commission of unspeakable acts exact a heavy toll on a dark witch's physical and mental state.

Gaining Corruption Points

A wizard's decline into darkness is a gradual process, but it's often marked by pivotal moments where ethical boundaries are crossed. Murder, betrayal, and perverse experiments are common threads in the histories of dark wizards and witches.

When a character performs an action that reflects their increasing cruelty, the DM may request a Wisdom saving throw. The Difficulty Class (DC) for this saving throw is determined by their current corruption tier (as per an unmentioned table). Failing this save results in gaining a single corruption point.

Examples of actions that might trigger a corruption roll include:

• Killing a being with a Dark spell when it could have been spared.
• Casting an Unforgivable Curse, regardless of witnesses.
• Betraying a trusting ally for personal gain.
• Harming innocents in a foreseeable and preventable manner.
• Manipulating someone into abandoning their morals.
• Acting contrary to one's alignment.

As a character's corruption tier increases, so does the DC of the saving throw. Higher tiers also grant a corruption boon and inflict a corruption effect on the character. Upon reaching a new corruption tier with an effect, the character must roll a die to determine the specific effect from designated corruption effect tables (on the next page, unprovided in the extract). Alternatively, the HM and the player can agree on a suitable corruption effect. These effects are cumulative, stacking with those from lower corruption tiers.

These effects are designed to subtly influence a character's personality and actions. Role-playing how the dark magic distorts the character is highly encouraged, and the DM may remind players of their corruption effects.

Corruption Tiers

Removing Corruption Points

The sole method for removing corruption is through genuine, profound remorse. This remorse typically needs to be for the specific actions that led to the corruption, though it can also be a more general remorse for a life of wrongdoing. The suffering experienced by the character must be comparable to the suffering they inflicted upon others.

Based on the character's actions and inner thoughts, the DM determines if a character can remove a corruption point. Factors indicative of true remorse might include:

• Acknowledging responsibility for the harm caused.
• Feeling deep sadness and regret over the actions.
• Seeking to make amends in any way possible.

Should enough corruption points be removed to lower the character to a previous tier, both the boon and effect from the higher tier are also nullified.

Corruption Boons

Empowered Darkness. When you have Empowered Spell as one of your metamagic options and use it on a Dark spell, it costs 0 sorcery points.

Heightened Darkness. You can use the Heightened Spell metamagic when casting a Dark spell, whether it's one of your metamagic options or not. When you use Heightened Spell on a Dark spell, it costs 1 sorcery point.

Inferi Ritual. By focusing for 10 minutes and expending a 5th level spell slot, this ritual creates an undead servant. Choose a corpse of a Medium or Small humanoid you can touch. Your spell imbues the target with a foul mimicry of life, raising it as an inferius (the HM has the creature’s stats).

As a bonus action, you can mentally command any of your inferi if one is within 60 feet of you (if you control multiple, you can command any or all with the same command). You decide its action and movement during its next turn, or you can issue a general command, such as to guard a particular corridor. If you issue no commands, the creature only defends itself against hostile creatures. Once given an order, the creature continues to follow it until its task is complete. The Dark magic that binds the corpse is permanent. The inferius will only deanimate if you die or if it is destroyed.

Corruption Effects

Compulsive. You begin to exhibit a mild, compulsive ritual of the DM's choice, likely associated with some fear. This can manifest as quadruple-checking locks and defensive measures, inspecting behind curtains, doors, and bushes for hidden attackers, or refusing to consume anything until you can get a small animal to test it for poison, for example. You take 1.5 times as long to complete a short rest.

Cough. You develop an uncontrollable cough that creeps up every now and then. You have disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks.

Crimson Pupils. Your eyes are bloodshot and in the right lighting, even the blackest part of your pupils seem to shine red. You have disadvantage on attack rolls when you are facing the sun or a bright light.

Distracted. Your mind has grown scattered and easily clouded. You have disadvantage on Intelligence ability checks, except for Intelligence saving throws.

Hallucinations. Strange visions and sourceless whispers occasionally tug at your perception. You have disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks.

Hoarder. You are compelled to collect anything that might be remotely useful in protecting you from your greatest fears. Appropriate items stumbled upon must be gathered and carried, if able, until at carrying capacity.

Jittery. You become far too easy to spook or startle. You have disadvantage on initiative rolls.

Mildly Phobic. You begin to obsess over a specific creature or person, believing them to be the cause of your demise. During the first round of combat with a creature of the chosen type, you are frightened.

Paranoid. You no longer trust the people you meet. You do not count as a "friendly" creature to strangers and acquaintances, and they do not count as "friendly" to you, in regards to abilities or spells. You can only target yourself and your closest allies with your beneficial spells and abilities.

Phobic. A specific creature or person invades your dreams, turning them to nightmares. When you enter combat with a creature of the chosen type, you must make a Wisdom saving throw (DC is 10 + your total corruption points). On a failure, you are frightened of them for 1 minute.

Reckless. You've become impulsive in the face of dangerous situations. The first attack made against you in any combat encounter has advantage on the attack roll.

Sadistic. Your bloodlust makes you become entranced by the pain you cause. Whenever you deal damage, the next attack made against you by anything other than the creature you damaged has advantage on the attack roll.

Scent of Decay. Your body emits a faint stench of death. You have disadvantage on Charisma (Persuasion) checks.

Unnatural Pallor. Your skin has become pale and waxy and your features oddly distorted. You have disadvantage on Charisma ability checks, except for Charisma (Intimidation) and Charisma saving throws.

Restricted Dark Spells

The following spells simply cannot be cast by your average wizard. They require a more intimate understanding of the darker sides of magic. The Cruciatus Curse is specifically fueled by the desire to inflict pain and the Killing Curse requires pure, unadulterated hatred to end a person's life. Neither of these will have a fraction of the effect without the proper feeling behind it.