Soul Corruption in the Abyss and other Evil outer planes
The Abyss is not just a place — it’s a predator. While within it, mortal souls are bathed in demonic resonance. This corruption erodes their will, morals, and even their physical form, whether alive or dead.
Visiting other evil outer planes (Nine-Hells, Hades, Carceri, Gehenna, Acheron, Pandemonium), or committing acts of wanton cruelty, bloodshed, depravation, or unholy devotion on the Material plane can also taint a character’s soul.
Grittier Saving Throws. While on an Evil outer plane, a natural 1 on a mental saving throw (INT, WIS, CHA) is always considered a failure.
Will to Survive
Upon entering an evil outer plane, and every time their character goes up a level on such a plane, each player secretly chooses a Will to Survive score between 1 and 5. This score will influence the DC of devilish and demonic temptations.
| Score | Mentality |
| 1 | Apathetic, nihilistic, borderline suicidal; doesn’t care about survival. |
| 2 | Resigned to possible death, but willing to fight, especially for a good cause. |
| 3 | Wants to live, but not at all costs |
| 4 | Strong drive to live; willing to make questionable compromises. |
| 5 | “I’ll do anything to survive” — even deals with demons, devils, or other evil entities. |
Corruption Rules
| Rule | Details |
| Corruption Score | Each PC begins with a Corruption Score between 0–5, chosen by the player. If their Will to Survive is 4 or 5, they must start between 2–5. |
| Maximum | 10 → soul fully corrupted by the Abyssal forces. |
| Gain | Through Triggers (see below). |
| Reduction (Major) | Ceremony (Atonement) with 7-day penance quest; Dispel Evil and Good, Greater Restoration, Remove Curse, Hallow, Celestial blessing, or divine intervention. → Lowers Corruption by 1–4, DM’s discretion. |
| Paladin’s Mercy | A Good or Neutral Paladin may spend 15 Lay on Hands points to reduce Corruption by 1 (also heals 5 HP). |
| Suppression (Minor) | Bless, Lesser Restoration, Protection from Evil and Good suppress effects without reducing score. Duration based on spell level: 1st-level: 1d10 minutes 2nd-level: 1d4 hours 3rd-level: 1d8 hours |
| Daily Resistance (1/day) | After a Long Rest or during a Short Rest, spend 1 hour in prayer, meditation, or spiritual reading. Make a DC 15 Wis/Cha save to reduce Corruption by 1. At 7+ Corruption, the save has Disadvantage. Activity must not involve evil-aligned entities or practices. |
Gaining Corruption (Triggers)
| Trigger Type | Examples |
| Cruelty & Depravity | Willingly committing wanton cruelty, bloodshed, or demonic depravity. |
| Evil Allegiance | Worshiping evil gods/patrons/demons; summoning or magically contacting fiends (e.g. Summon Fiend). |
| Self-Corruption | Blood magic, self-mutilation for power. |
| Betrayal & Oaths | Breaking vows, betraying allies, suffering a curse. |
| Exploitation | Bullying or exploiting innocents, magically tormenting them. |
| Temptation | Corrupting another with offers of sex, power, magic, or pleasures, or succumbing to an abyssal or infernal temptation. |
| Environmental Exposure | Staying 10+ minutes in an area warped by a Demon Lord or Archdevil. |
| Unsafe Rest | Long Rest in an evil-aligned plane without Hallow or an extradimensional shelter. |
| Supernatural Influence | Failing Wis/Cha save with a natural 1 against Fiend/Undead effects that impose the Frightened, Charmed, or Possessed conditions. |
| Tainted Contact | Touching demon ichor or wielding/consuming Abyss-tainted items/food. |
A character in an evil outer plane in combat with at least one Fiend with a CR higher than their current level must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom or Charisma save (player's choice) at the end of the combat encounter or gain a Corruption point, unless protected by a Protection from Evil and Good or Hallow spell or similar magic.
The DM can slowly feed the player eerie inner thoughts, compulsions, and visions of the evil outer plane to tempt them toward acts that grant more Corruption.
Effects by Corruption Level
(You gain the effects of your corruption score and each one above, except 0.)
| Corruption Score | Effects |
| 0 | The untainted soul. You shine in the Abyss. Fiends can sense your purity within 60 ft. and are more likely to single you out in combat. You have Advantage on your first three Temptation Saves while on an evil outer plane. |
| 1–2 | Whispers in the mind. While on an evil outer plane, you have Disadvantage on Insight checks to detect lies from Fiends. Nightmares disrupt rest (DC 10 Con save or only restore half Maximum hit points after a Long Rest. If natural 1 on the save, gain 1 Exhaustion level. |
| 3–4 | Abyssal taint in the blood, or Infernal soul corruption. -1d4 penalty on saves against the Charmed condition imposed by Fiends while in the Abyss or other Evil outer plane. |
| 5–6 | Loss of moral compass. You must make a DC 13 Wisdom save to refuse an act of cruelty or violence if provoked. Abyssal creatures recognize you as “one of theirs” and may try to recruit instead of killing. |
| 7 | Partial soul enslavement. When you score first reaches 7, you gain a demonic character flaw (Appendix D: Out of the Abyss). Your soul appears dim in the Ethereal Plane. A Good-aligned Paladin loses its Aura of Protection feature. |
| 8 | Welcome to the Family. You gain 1 random minor physical mutation (clawed nails, shadowed eyes, blackened veins, faint horns). Fiends and Undead mostly treat you as Indifferent unless provoked or harmed. Disadvantage saving throws against spells and effects that deal Necrotic damage. |
| 9 | Enjoying the Corruption. You must succeed on a DC 15 Charisma save before each Long Rest or see your alignment shift one step toward the Outer plane’s alignment. If you fail the save by 5 or more, you become possessed by a fiendish entity. For this save, a natural 1 is an automatic failure. You can be possessed by more than one entity. See Possessed Condition for details. |
| 10 | Claimed. Your soul is now under Orcus’s dominion (or other demon lord or Archdevil). Upon your death, after 1 hour, your mortal body dissolves into demonic ichor and your rise as a unique Undead or Fiend under their control, and resurrection is impossible without a Wish spell or a divine-tier quest. (You can be raised before the hour has passed to avoid this fate.) |
Abyssal Temptations
The Abyss, is eager to bargain — not just for souls, but for influence right now. Demons and the plane itself will offer fleeting power for a sliver of your integrity.
When a PC faces a dire moment — combat, negotiation, survival — you may offer an Abyssal Temptation, that comes from within.
It might be the Abyss itself corrupting the soul, or an entity like Malcanthet, Queen of the Succubi.
- The PC can accept or refuse the offer.
- Accepting gives an immediate, powerful benefit.
- A successful DC 13 Insight or Religion check may reveal the “Cost Beyond Corruption” to the PC. The cost can also be discovered through normal social interaction rules if the temptation comes from an entity.
If the PC accepts, they automatically gain 2 Corruption points, the Cost Beyond Corruption and roll on the Abyssal Mutation Table.
Temptation Roll
If the PC refuses, have them roll a Temptation Save, which is a Wisdom or Charisma saving throw (player’s choice) :
- DC = 8 + Corruption + Will to Survive scores
- On a failure, they unwillingly accept the temptation and suffer its costs.
- This represents the Abyss bypassing their conscious will when their soul is already frayed.
Example Temptations and Boons
| Temptation | Immediate Benefit | Cost Beyond Corruption |
| Flesh of the Abyss | Gain +15 Temporary HP and Stoneskin for 10 minutes. | Roll 1 minor physical mutation (horn buds, scaled skin, blackened teeth). |
| Whisper of Slaughter | Barbarian Rage (PC’s level) and Advantage on all attack rolls until the end of your next turn; crit on 19–20 for the next minute. | Must use a Barbarian’s Reckless Attack and take the Attack action each turn until no enemies remain. |
| Soul’s Shadowfire | Deal +1d8 Necrotic damage on all hits until the end of combat. Can cast Immolation spell once per day for 7 days. | Your alignment shifts 1 step toward Chaotic Evil. |
| Eyes Beyond the Veil | Gain Truesight 60 ft. and Immunity to being surprised. Both benefits last 1d4 hours. | Disadvantage on all saving throws against charm effects for the next 24 hours. |
| Unholy Haste | You can cast Haste on yourself 3 times before the end of your next Long Rest (no spell slot required). Whenever you cast Haste this way, you also gain the benefits of the False Life spell as if cast at level 3 (2d4 + 14 Temporary Hit Points). | Gain 1 Exhaustion level each time the spell effect ends. |
| Indecent Proposal (if dead) |
You are immediately raised from the dead (with half your Maximum Hit Points), with the Haste spell affecting you for 1d4 rounds. | You are raised as a Reborn (Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft) or Tiefling (Abyssal or Infernal) instead of your chosen species. If you are a Reborn, you have both the Fiend and Humanoid creature types. Your soul will also belong to a powerful Fiendish entity after your permanent death, most likely Orcus or Asmodeus. |
| Crown of Ruin | For the next minute, your melee attacks deal +2d8 Necrotic damage and ignore Resistance to Necrotic damage. | At dawn, make a DC 15 Wisdom save or gain Exhaustion level as your body cracks under Abyssal strain. |
| Abyssal Hunger | Bite into raw power: As a Bonus Action, regain 4d8 + your level hit points. | For the next 3 days, you must succeed a DC 15 Charisma save each time you see a helpless or Bloodied creature, or spend your action attacking it. |
| Gift of Thousand Eyes | Gain the benefits of a Robe of Eyes until the end of your next Long Rest. | You cannot avert your gaze: Disadvantage on Illusion spells and effects saving throws until the end of your next Long Rest. |
| Chains of the Pit | Once, you may cast Hold Monster (DC 17). While restrained, the target also takes 2d8 Necrotic damage per turn. | Chains from the abyssal ground seem to cling to you: your Speed is halved until the end of your next Long Rest. |
| Howl of Orcus | Release an Abyssal scream: all creatures within 30 ft. make a DC 16 Wisdom save or be Frightened for 1 minute. Creatures can repeat the save after each turn to negate. Creatures normally immune to the Frightened condition can be affected by this effect, unless their CR is higher than your character level. | Your voice is tainted by an Abyssal resonance: Disadvantage on Persuasion checks until you complete three Long Rests. |
| Infernal Resilience | For 10 minutes, you gain Resistance to all damage. | When the effect ends, your maximum HP is reduced by 2d10 until you receive a Greater Restoration cast at level 7 or equivalent. |
The Abyss might also offer a Supernatural Gift (Blessing or Charm) as described in the 2024 Dungeon Master’s Guide (chapter 3), the equivalent of a Divine Intervention (Cleric class feature), or a Dark Gift (Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft, chapter 1).
Abyssal Mutation Table
When the Abyss touches you deeply because you succumbed to an Abyssal temptation, the body remembers.
Roll a d6:
- Eyes glow faintly red; Darkvision extends by 30 ft. but you gain Sunlight Sensitivity.
- Fingers elongate unnaturally; gain +1 to hit with melee weapons and Unarmed Strikes, but Disadvantage on Persuasion checks against Humanoids.
- Voice carries an abyssal echo; Advantage on Intimidation against Humanoids but Disadvantage on Persuasion.
- Small horns or bone ridges emerge; +1 AC but helmets/hoods fit awkwardly.
- Blackened veins pulse under the skin; Resistance to Necrotic damage but Vulnerability to Radiant damage.
- Shadow lingers behind you unnaturally; once per Long Rest, cast Shadow Stride (1 level) or Misty Step (2 level) without components, but leaving behind a sulfurous scent that deals 2d6 Poison damage for 10 minutes to anyone that enters the space you left or starts its turn there.
Recovering from the Mutation
If the PC’s Corruption score is lower than 7, the mutation (and its powers) can be removed with a Greater Restoration spell or similar magic.
Notes: Exploration
Previous Versions
| Name | Date Modified | Views | Adds | Version | Actions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
8/28/2025 9:10:08 PM
|
9
|
1
|
BM
|
Coming Soon
|
Comments