RULES OF HORROR
CHAPTER 4
72
Sometimes these manifestations are phantasms rather might take characters to unusual terrain—in particular, places than figments, meaning that only a single character can where the dead are buried. This section describes such locales, perceive them. Occasionally they are patterns, visible to all using the same format and terminology as in the Dungeon onlookers but carrying mind-affecting side effects. Most Master’s Guide, Chapter 3: Adventures. phantasms and pattern hauntings cause characters who witness them to become affected by fear—characters who Graveyards fail a Will save might become shaken (DC 12), frightened A far cry from the serene parks common in the modern (DC 15), or panicked (DC 18). Phantasmal odors might world, graveyards in D&D range from quiet, spooky spots instead cause a character to become sickened (Fortitude to dilapidated areas where putrescent liquids seep from the DC 13 negates) or nauseated (Fortitude DC 18 reduces to thin soil or rotting limbs protrude from overcrowded graves. The smell of death hangs thickly in the air. sickened). In their most dangerous manifestations, these Most graveyards occupy the yard outside a place of woreffects can duplicate the phantasmal killer (DC 16) or weird (DC 23) spells. ship, commonly a temple of Wee Jas. They appear in civilized lands rather than wilderness areas, usually occupying open Illusory manifestations can also be glamers. Torches fields. The table below describes in general terms how likely might seem to dim or change color. A character’s reflection in a mirror might seem to be doing something horrible, or it is that a given square has a terrain element in it. Instead it might look like someone else. A close friend might appear of rolling for each square, use the percentages in the table as a horrific monster. below to guide the maps you create. Occasionally, haunting effects that seem illusory are at least partially real, like shadow spells, and can cause real harm Graveyard Terrain Features —Age of Graveyard— to characters. The sensation of fingertips brushing the skin New Moderate Ancient might be a phantasm and the feeling of someone walking past Gravestone 25 50 75 * might be a figment, but the sense of a sharp blow or a wound Mausoleum 5 10 20 * could be a shadow and deal real damage (generally 1d6, but Statue, memorial 10 15 20 * sometimes more). Similarly, a feeling of unnatural chill in Tree, massive 1 1 1 a room could be a harmless figment, but it could also be a Tree, typical 5 5 5 shadow effect that deals 1d4 points of Strength or Dexterity Vault 5 10 15 damage or bestows a negative level. Wall 5 5 5 * Telekinetic Effects: A haunting can duplicate any of the *25 damaged in some way following spells: mage hand, open/close, telekinesis, arcane lock, or knock. Hauntings often manifest in objects moving around Gravestone: The older the cemetery, the more gravestones a room, doors and windows opening or closing at random, it will contain. The more neglected the cemetery, the more doors locking or unlocking on their own, and similar effects. likely that some gravestones lean or have broken or fallen. When a character is subject to one of these effects, she receives A graveyard’s boundaries are typically fi xed when it is a saving throw or other roll to resist it as if she were targeted established, so fitting in more graves over time means packby the spell being duplicated. ing the gravestones tightly together, possibly with multiple Taint and Hauntings: A character who spends the night burials in each plot. When you decide to place a gravestone in a haunted location must make a DC 20 Will save or have in a square, don’t worry about the stone’s exact location his depravity score increase by 1. The saving throw DC might within the square. It costs 2 squares of movement to move be higher in more severe cases of haunting (see Tainted Locainto a square with a gravestone in it. A creature standing in tions on page 68). the same square as a gravestone gains a +2 bonus to Armor Class and a +1 bonus on Reflex saves (these bonuses don’t Exorcising a Haunted Site: Just as in the case of a haunting presence, an exorcist can perform a ritual to cleanse stack with cover bonuses from other sources). A typical a haunted site. If the exorcist successfully performs the gravestone has hardness 8 and 45 hp. ritual, which requires ten consecutive full-round actions It is theoretically possible to perch atop a gravestone. A and a DC 20 Knowledge (religion) check, the haunting character can hop up to the top of a gravestone (see the Jump energies coalesce into a form that renders them vulnerable skill description on page 77 of the Player’s Handbook) with to traditional methods of removing magical effects, such a DC 10 Jump check. Perching on top of a gravestone can as dispel magic, remove curse, or break enchantment spells. The give a character the attack bonus for attacking from higher effective caster level of a haunted site is the minimum caster ground. Remaining perched requires balancing on a surface level required to cast the highest-level spell duplicated by about 3 inches wide (Balance DC 15), which might be sloped (+2 to the DC), obstructed if the stone is old and crumbling the haunting. With a successful ritual, the haunting ener(+2 to +5 to the DC), or slippery with rain or moss (another gies remain vulnerable for 1 full round, but the exorcist can continue the ritual, causing the haunting energies to remain +2 to +5 to the DC). See the Balance skill description on page vulnerable, by making additional Knowledge (religion) 67 of the Player’s Handbook. checks each round. See Exorcising a Haunting Presence on Some gravestones are placed flat on the ground rather page 71 for more details of the exorcism process. than standing erect. These stones do not offer cover or affect movement in any way. MORTUARY TERRAIN A cenotaph resembles a gravestone but is a memorial marker for those who do not lie buried there (for example, The Dungeon Master’s Guide covers the basics of terrain, both in dungeons and in wilderness environments. A horror adventure someone whose body was not recovered).
