You have been Awake far longer than the majority of other wardens. In fact, you have roamed Irs longer than most other civilizations have even been around. Thus, your mind has begun the final stage for many wardens: Deterioration. Deterioration manifests itself in personality quirks and often maddening infinite loops in certain processes. Each wardens Deterioration begins with a Dream that takes them to a fertile garden where flora grows in every direction infinitely. During the last period of Deterioration, the wardens eyes go dark and it sees itself in the middle of that Dream. From then on out, the vision and mental state of the warden is placed into the Dream environment while it's body remains in the material plane. This often results in wardens blindly walking into immediate danger or some non-traversable location where they are often stuck for the remainder of time.
Deterioration does have its benefits, however. The original programming given to you by your ancient masters is long gone, thus freeing you from any feeling of obligation towards particular tasks. You also are able to release your inhibitor at will (or by accident), giving you unique abilities that other wardens cannot perform at the expense of more Deterioration.
You are at the first moment of Deterioration. Your faculties are still about you, but you have been visited by the Dream. Do you accept the oncoming effects as a fact of life or are you running away from it? Are you seeking a cure or allowing yourself to spiral into blissful oblivion?
- Skill Proficiencies: Deception, Intimidation
- Tool Proficiencies: One gaming set and one artisan's tools
- Languages: Two normal languages and one exotic language
- Equipment: Two trinkets, one of which you are desperately trying not to forget and another which is already forgotten (the DM decides which of the items is the forgotten item), a notebook for remembering, a gaming set, an artisan's tools, and a pouch filled with 100 gp.
| Result | Effect |
|---|---|
| ≤ 3 | Forgotten Names, Forgotten Faces. It is extremely difficult to remember faces and names, unless concentrating solely on those aspects of a person immediately after hearing them or writing the relevant information down in your notebook. Roll a d20 whenever you attempt to speak someone's name. On a result of 3 or lower, the DM gives you a random name that you call that person instead. You do not need to roll if written in your notebook (though some may respond differently if they see you looking into your book before speaking) or if you succeed on a DC 13 Intelligence (History) check. |
| 4-6 | Short-Term Memory. Unless written in your notebook, you cannot recall the past five minutes besides in very vague detail. Roll a d20 whenever you attempt to speak to someone you've met or draw from a fact you learned within the past five minutes. On a result of 3 or lower, you forget what you were going to say. You do not need to roll if written in your notebook (though some may respond differently if they see you looking into your book before speaking). |
| 7 | Physical Spasm. When you make a physical action, such as swinging a sword or picking up an item, you have a small chance (DC 5) of dropping the item you are holding. |
| 8 | Long-Term Memory. Unless written in your notebook, you cannot recall the past three months besides in very vague detail. Roll a d20 whenever you attempt to speak to someone you've met or draw from a fact you learned within the past three months. On a result of 3 or lower, you forget what you were going to say. You do not need to roll if written in your notebook (though some may respond differently if they see you looking into your book before speaking). |
| 9 | The Calling of Dreams. You must use Sentry's Rest whenever you take either a short or long rest. During Sentry's Rest, you find yourself inert for longer and longer periods of time. The Dreams you've had your whole life become more vivid and inviting. You must be woken up by another creature to come out of this state and you cannot communicate this need to others until woken up. |
| 10 | Nothing Left But The Fall. Your vision and mental presence has been entirely transported to the Dream that has called upon you. Your body, however, remains in the material plane. When you roll a d20 and receive a result of 3 or lower, the DM describes all relevant information to you in relation to the Dream rather than the actual material surroundings. This effect has, to your knowledge, no cure and does not go away after three consecutive long rests. |
Due to your Deterioration, you are able to release your mental and physical inhibitors at your will (or accidentally). When finishing a short rest, you may use one Inhibitor point to give yourself advantage on either all saving throws and attack rolls or all ability checks until you finish another short rest. You have three Inhibitor points and regain 1d3 points after each long rest.
After using an Inhibitor point, roll a d20 and subtract 10. Your result is what effect you suffer from until three consecutive long rests without using another Inhibitor point. Using another Inhibitor point resets the required consecutive long rests for all Deterioration effects. After three consecutive long rests, all Deterioration effects are removed with the exception of Nothing Left But The Fall.
Suggested Characteristics
Wardens suffering from a Deteriorated Mind are often removed from warden societies due to their unpredictability. Other societies might take them in, thinking they're simply a functional warden with their faculties about them. When it is uncovered that the warden is going through Deterioration, some might react in aggressive or sympathetic ways. There are myths throughout warden societies that tell of ancient Duergar technology that can refurbish the mind of a warden and scrub the Deterioration away. Whether these myths are true has yet to be seen.
| d8 | Personality Trait |
|---|---|
| 1 | I feel myself slipping into oblivion, therefore I act with extreme caution around anything that might further the slide. |
| 2 | I want to go out in a bang, whether I'm mentally here for it or not. |
| 3 | I need to cure myself of this... I cannot forget who and what I am. |
| 4 | The Dreams call out to me and I find myself wanting to stay longer and longer in them. |
| 5 | I often make light of my Deterioration, resorting to jokes and funny acts to lesson the harshness of it. |
| 6 | I go about my business as though my mind is in perfect shape. When the fall takes me, it'll take me. |
| 7 | After a bout of Deterioration, I need a period of time to myself to recollect my thoughts. |
| 8 | I desire nothing more than to fall into the dream and be done with this life. |
| d6 | Ideal |
|---|---|
| 1 | Potential. Deterioration is a curse, therefore I have to find a cure—for all wardens. (Good) |
| 2 | Acceptance. Deterioration is the result of a life long-lived. It is time to let go. (Lawful) |
| 3 | Nihilism. What is the purpose of learning new names if I'm to forget them soon enough? (Neutral) |
| 4 | Painful Regret. I have made mistakes in my life and I will repair them—by any means necessary. (Evil) |
| 5 | One Life to Live. This could be my last day before I fall. (Chaotic) |
| 6 | Alone. A life of forgotten friends and family is hardly a life at all. (Any) |
| d6 | Bond |
|---|---|
| 1 | Someone is trying to help me find a cure for my Deterioration. Trouble is, I don't know who or where they are. |
| 2 | I have friends and family now. I have to do everything I can to not forget them. |
| 3 | The Dream has shown me a friend whom I've lost living in the garden with me. |
| 4 | I was cast from my society for my Deterioration. |
| 5 | I am an esteemed individual amongst my society. No one knows I've begun the Deterioration. |
| 6 | I had a friend or family member become lost to Deterioration. |
| d6 | Flaw |
|---|---|
| 1 | My Deterioration causes me to write obsessively about everything around me. |
| 2 | My notebook has gone unused in years. The next bout of Deterioration could cause me to lose everything... |
| 3 | My Deterioration has been happening for years and I haven't told anyone. |
| 4 | Even under the effect of a bout of Deterioration, I pretend everything is fine. |
| 5 | I am superstitious that learning new names and faces causes a faster onset of Deterioration, thus I do not learn them. |
| 6 | Someone died while I was under the effect of Deterioration and I will never forgive myself for it. |