Horror

How to Make a Horror Check

Making a horror check is conducted in exactly the same fashion as a fear check or saving throw. When a player is called upon to make a horror check, they roll 1d20, apply any relevant modifiers, and compare the total to a target number determined by the character’s class and level.

If the modified roll equals or exceeds the target number, the character shrugs off the effects of the scene and may continue normally. This is not to say that he remains utterly calm or unmoved by the things he has seen, only that he is able to cope with his horror and suffers no measurable penalty. If the modified roll is less than the target number, the character has been overwhelmed by the horrors around him. A roll of 20 always succeeds, and a roll of 1 always fails.  The many and varied results of failure are described below.

Horror Check Modifiers

Modifier	Condition
+?/-?	Character Wisdom Modifier
+4	Character or party possesses a spell, magical item, weapon, or bit of knowledge which has already proven effective against this particular threat.
+2	Character or party possesses a spell, magical item, weapon, or bit of knowledge which is believed to be effective against this threat.
+4	A relative or fellow player character is endangered.
+2	A friend or ally is clearly endangered.
+1	An innocent is endangered.
-1	An innocent willingly participates in the horrific scene.
-2	A friend or ally willingly participates in the horrific scene.
-4	A relative or fellow player character willingly participates in the horrific scene.
-1	Character is of good alignment.
-1	Character is of lawful alignment.
+1	Character is of chaotic alignment.
+1	Character is of evil alignment.
-1	Character is in close quarters (no place to run).
+1	Character is in an open area (room to run away).
+2	Hero has overcome or endured a similar scene within the past twenty-four hours.
+1	Hero has overcome or endured a similar scene in the past (but not within the last twenty-four hours).
-2	Hero has been horrified by a similar scene within the past twenty-four hours.
-1	Hero has been horrified by a similar scene in the past (but not within the last twenty-four hours).

Effects of Failure

A horrified character will find the effects of this highly emotional state both lasting and debilitating. When a character fails a horror check, the Dungeon Master should roll 1d6 and consult the following table. Modifiers to the die roll and a description of each condition appear at right.

Failed Horror Check Results (1d10)

1.	Fear		6.	Rage
2.	Aversion		7.	Mental Shock
3.	Nightmares		8.	Fascination
4.	Revulsion		9.	Madness
5.	Obsession		10.	System Shock

Modifier	Condition
+1	Character is alone (or can’t be quickly reached by allies).
+1	Character is a spellcaster with fewer than half of his spells remaining.
+1	Character has lost more than half of his maximum hit points.
+1	Character has failed a fear, horror, or madness check within the last twenty-four hours

Fear

A fear struck character has managed to avoid the horror of the scene before him, though he still succumbs to fear. In such cases, the effect of the failed check is resolved using Table 5: Failed Fear Check Results. No die modifiers apply to this roll.

Aversion

The horror of the scene proves too much for the character to bear. He whirls and flees, moving at his maximum rate for one full turn (ten minutes). At the end of that time, he comes to his senses. For the next month or so, however, he cannot bear to go within fifty feet of the place where the failed check occurred or any identical places.

If the character is forced to violate these restrictions (or if he accidentally does so) he must attempt another horror check. A successful check allows the character to remain in the presence of the horrific scene, but he suffers a -4 penalty on all attack rolls; saving throws; and fear, horror, and madness checks while in the area. Should the character fail this second horror check, the normal effects of such misfortunes apply.

Nightmares

At first it appears that a character who rolled this result is simply fear struck. His immediate actions are determined by rerolling and consulting the Failed Fear Check Results table. The next time the character tries to sleep, however, it becomes clear that he is badly traumatized.

As soon as the character falls asleep, he begins to have terrible nightmares in which the horrific events play themselves out repeatedly. Within half an hour after retiring (5d6 minutes, to be precise), the hero suddenly awakens with a terrible scream. Every attempt at sleep will have the same result, leaving the character an exhausted wreck.

For every twenty-four hours that the character goes without a full night’s rest, he suffers a cumulative -1 penalty to all attack rolls, saving throws, and ability/proficiency checks, up to a maximum penalty of -4.

A sleepless night also denies the character a chance to heal. Thus, the only way that someone burdened with nightmares can recover from injuries is through magic. Characters with the ability to regenerate can still do so. If the character is a spellcaster, his inability to sleep makes it impossible to rest and memorize new spells. As the nightmares also disrupt attempts by the psion to rest and meditate, those characters are unable to regain expended PSPs while suffering from nightmares.

In short order, sleepless nights will begin to take a toll on even the most hardy individual. For every week that a character suffers from nightmares, his Constitution score temporarily falls one point. Any associated benefits, like bonus hit points or saving throw adjustments are affected as well. If the character’s Constitution score falls to zero, he dies.

A sleep spell can ward off the nightmares for a time. A character under the effects of such magic will be able to get enough rest to memorize new spells or regain PSPs. In addition, someone aided with a sleep spell will not receive penalties to his attack rolls, saving throws, and the like. However, this supernatural slumber is not sufficient to allow normal healing or prevent the loss of Constitution points.

Revulsion

Revulsion is a more powerful form of aversion. In addition to the effects described earlier, the character is unable to stand the presence of things even vaguely reminiscent of whatever horrified him. Someone forced to watch as a nosferatu drained the life from his younger sister might find that the sight of red wine, a cut of rare meat, or even the trickle that follows the nick of a shaving razor will fill him with revulsion.

Obsession

An obsessed character suffers the same negative effects associated with nightmares. His nights are so filled with visions of the terrible things he has endured that his health gradually deteriorates from loss of sleep. The use of a sleep spell provides the same relief to obsessed characters as it does to those suffering from nightmares.

During the day, however, the character’s mind remains clouded. He will speak about the horrifying event constantly, describe everything in terms relating to it, and mumble to himself about it when he is alone.

Such single-minded devotion has negative effects even beyond those suffered by the victims of nightmares. Because of the haze that dulls the perceptions of an obsessed character, he suffers a -1 penalty to his initiative and surprise rolls, beginning immediately after the failed horror check. Each week that passes increases this modifier by one point, to a maximum penalty of -4.

Rage

An enraged character becomes instantly overwhelmed by the desire to destroy the thing that offends him. If he is powerful enough to succeed, then this is not a terrible result. If he is not, then rage can be fatal.

The enraged character must move toward the cause of his horror at his maximum movement rate and engage it in melee combat. It is impossible for an enraged character to use spells, psionic powers, or ranged weapons. His mind reverts to a state of primitive fury that only brutal violence can mollify.

So feral has his mind become at this point that he casts aside anything in his hands that is not a weapon. Each of these items must make a successful saving throw vs. fall to avoid damage. If the character does not have a weapon available, he will either attack with his bare hands or grab up some manner of bludgeon.

A character with a shield or other object in hand might avoid discarding it (as required above) if the player states an intention to use it as bludgeon. Of course, fragile objects wielded as weapons may well be damaged or destroyed. In such cases, the Dungeon Master might require the player to make a successful saving throw vs. crushing blow for the item to avoid such a fate.

Each attack or damage roll made by the enraged character receives a +2 bonus because of the fury surging through his muscles. However, the bestial nature of this rage leaves the character exposed to attack, for he thinks little about self defense. This causes him to lose any benefits due to a shield or high Dexterity score. In addition, all strikes directed at him receive a +2 attack bonus.

So powerful a rage is not easily thrown off. Even after the character slays the object of his rage, he will continue to strike at it. If such a character is left to himself, he is entitled to a new horror check every third round. Success indicates that he has come to his senses. Failure results in another three rounds of rage.

Anyone who attempts to restrain the enraged character will become his new target. Magical spells, like sleep or emotion can end the character’s fury without drawing his attention.

Another player character can attempt to talk the character out of his rage. Such an attempt requires one round and a successful Charisma check. If the check succeeds, the enraged character comes to his senses. If it fails, he continues to batter away at his target. An unmodified roll of 20 indicates that the enraged character feels betrayed and will transfer his rage to his friend.

For the next month or so (see “Recovering from Horror” below) the character may be thrown into a rage whenever he encounters a scene or creature similar to the object of his horror. At such times, a new horror check is made, with an additional -2 penalty. If the check fails, the character becomes enraged again.

Mental Shock

Sometimes, the only response one is capable of when confronted with something horrible is simple inaction. In such cases of mental shock, the character’s mind seems to simply shut down, causing him to stand and stare at the offensive sight.

A character suffering from mental shock will take no action to defend himself, even if attacked repeatedly. Thus, he gains no benefit to Armor Class for a shield or high Dexterity score. Obviously, such a character cannot attack, cast spells, use psionics, or take any other action. A shocked character will follow a companion only if dragged along. Such movement is involuntary, however, and is limited to half the normal rate of the stunned character.

Future encounters with the horrific scene or one similar to it may also overwhelm the character. Such an experience entitles the character to another horror check (albeit with a -2 penalty). Failure indicates that he again finds himself gripped by this terrible affliction.

Fascination

Fascination in many ways resembles obsession, save that the victim appears to openly embrace the sight that horrified him. He spends every waking and sleeping moment thinking about whatever he has seen, and he even begins to incorporate it into his personality, resulting in a degradation of his own character. A classic example of such behavior can be seen in Renfield’s attempts to emulate the horrific life-draining actions of his master in Bram Stoker’s Dracula.

These changes in a character’s personality cause him to become more and more offensive to those around him. On the day after the character is horrified, his Charisma and Wisdom each fall one point. At the end of every week, an additional point is subtracted from each ability score. When either (or both) of these scores reaches zero, the character is assumed to have been driven mad. At that time, the Dungeon Master should roll on Table 9: Failed Madness Check Results to see what form his lunacy takes.

Should the character come into the presence of the thing that horrified him (or something similar to it) while still in the grip of his fascination, his condition will manifest itself in one of two ways.

It at all possible, the fascinated character will join the scene. He will not join it if doing so would clearly be suicidal, but he may well give away the location of the party or other secrets without concern.

Should it prove impossible for him to undertake that course, he will set aside all other concerns to observe and study the scene. During this encounter, he will take no action to harm or disrupt the horrid scene and its participants, although he may allow his companions to do so. Only if they directly challenge his actions will the fascinated character act against his companions.

Madness

The strain of recent events proves too much for the character. Somehow, this horrifying scene causes his mind to collapse into madness. The Dungeon Master should skip to Table 9: Failed Madness Check Results to determine what happens to the horrified character.  All normal modifiers apply to this second roll.

System Shock

Just as the icy grip of fear can crush the life from a man’s heart, so too can the effects of horror drive him to an early grave. A player who rolls this result must make an instant system shock survival roll with a -10% penalty.

A failed roll causes the character to simply fall dead. Attempts to revive him will fail, although magical means might be employed to this end. If the roll is successful, the character has a chance to survive. His Constitution falls one point to reflect the strain on his health, and he is instantly reduced to 0 hit points. If he does not receive immediate aid, the character will lose 1 hit point per round until he reaches -10, at which point he dies. Complete rules governing this condition are detailed in Chapter 9 of the DUNGEON MASTER Guide.

In either case, the character drops any items he was carrying. A saving throw vs. fall should be made for each item to determine whether or not it sustains damage.