Delerium

Delerium is the mineral that was spread over the city of Drakkenheim 15 years ago by the Meteorite that largely destroyed the city. Veo Sjena refers to Delerium as "the shiny stuff" in  episode 1, which alludes to the fact that it has begun to be used as an alternative currency or at least a high-value commodity.

Samples of Delerium are classed both by size and condition and loosely classified as dust, chips, fragments, shards, crystals, and geodes. The price of the Delerium directly corresponds to the size of the piece.

## Properties and Effects

Besides the Haze, described below, Delerium affects the city of Drakkenheim by faintly glowing. This glow, called Duša grada (The Soul of the City) by the locals is noted to be "perhaps the only beautiful thing left to see in the city" by Veo Sjena in episode 1. The color of this glow is one that doesn't exist in the real world, but it's a sort of purple-green-yellow color called "octarine," the color of magic. Delerium glows more strongly in the presence of magic or moonlight.

Raw samples of the mineral elicit a sensation of electricity and have a distinctive smell of ozone like a strong, lightning-heavy thunderstorm. In addition, magic-users in immediate proximity to Delerium are able to sense the substance, which to them gives off an alluring aura like a "delicious treat," per episode 1.

Groups such as the Amethyst Academy are very interested in exploiting Delerium as a powerful component in magical recipes or even entire Delerium-based artifacts. However, Delerium in its raw form is *extremely* dangerous. Without proper protection or some other form of resistance, handling raw Delerium with bare skin causes the substance to be immediately drawn into the body. In almost all cases this will elicit a violent, irreversible transformation into a Dreg or other aberration within minutes at most. In addition, prolonged exposure to the Haze emitted by raw Delerium may also cause similar effects (see below).

## The Meteor

The meteor crashed into the city of Drakkenheim in the year 1111, decimating it and rendering it uninhabitable due to the haze. While the origins of the meteor are unknown, it is theorized to be connected to Sebastian Crowe, his mother Lenneth Eventide and the demon confronted by the heroes in episode 14 while in Lenneth Eventide's mirror dimension.

## The Crater

The crater is located in the southern zone of Drakkenheim. It is speculated that the concentration of the haze in that area is powerful enough to kill humanoids not protected from it in seconds. The location is not visited by our heroes until Drakkenforce undertakes an expedition in Shadows of Drakkenheim episode 45.

## The Haze

The haze is an atmospheric effect caused by the ambient magic radiated by Delerium. It is capable of mutating any creature in a fashion similar to Delerium itself, and it is even capable of corrupting inanimate matter, as seen in episode 25.

The haze manifests as a low mist that hangs throughout the city, limiting visibility to 2d6 x 50 feet. Areas beyond are heavily obscured, even in daylight. Mist tainted by the haze can be recognized by traces of 'octarine light' which reflect off surfaces, creatures and particles in the area. To our eyes, it is best described as a greenish/purple color, but it is truly a color with no analog in the real world.

Uncontaminated creatures cannot gain the benefits of a long rest while within the haze.

Creatures cannot teleport into or out of the Haze by any means; any such attempt automatically fails (teleportation point-to-point within the Haze still functions normally, however). Likewise, telepathic communication cannot cross the boundary of the Haze, and Divination spells either do not function within the Haze at all or have their effects reduced. Attempting *any* of the above across the Haze boundary results in a DC 15 Intelligence check. On a failure the creature takes 6d6 psychic damage and is incapacitated with madness until they finish a long rest. Finally, spells like Rope Trick and Tiny Hut provide no protection from the Haze. The spell Magnificent Mansion *does* provide Haze protection, however, since the characters are technically in a pocket plane.

## The Deep Haze

Certain areas within the city walls are so suffused by the Haze that mere exposure can cause damage, exhaustion, dementia, mutation, or worse. A thick fog blankets these regions, limiting visibility to only 2d6 x 25 feet.

Creatures within the Deep Haze must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw for each hour of exposure, and for each failure they take 3d6 points of necrotic damage and gain one level of contamination. Certain areas are so dangerous that this saving throw must be made each minute, or even each round.

## Examples of Strange Effects and Mutations

Dregs, garmyr, and ratlings (irreversible transformations)

Haze husks (the undead)

Queen Lenore von Kessel and her attendants (prolonged exposure)

Glass People of the South Ward

Wooden building near The Rat's Nest transformed from wood to granite

## Aqua Delerium

When one drinks this rare potion, one regains 1d3+1 levels worth of spells. If one regains 4 or more levels worth of spell slots in this way, the next time one uses a spell slot one triggers a wild magic surge.

One can benefit from one dose of Aqua Delerium in a 24 hour period without experiencing side effects. If one drinks a second dose or more, one takes 1d12 psychic damage for each spell slot level regained. This damage can't be reduced or prevented in any way.

Aqua Delerium is *extremely* addictive.

## Aqua Expurgo

This magical preparation is an injection that grants protection toward the detrimental effects of the haze. However, it has extremely unpleasant side effects known as "The Juice Cleanse" for which episode 12 was titled. In episode 12, Pluto Jackson proved the effectiveness of Aqua Expurgo for its inventor, Oscar Yoren by testing it on himself. This involved injecting himself with the potion (which must be done directly to the heart) and spent an hour in the heavy Delerium haze near the Spire of the Amethyst Academy, while Veo and Sebastian waited safely in Veo's Rope Trick spell. Note that the rules regarding the haze and contamination have been ratified to exclude spells such as Tiny Hut and Rope Trick from protecting individuals from the Haze*.*

The injection proved effective but led to him spending a night in the Clock Tower while suffering from vomiting and explosive diarrhea, which ruined his armor. *(Note:* *The expelled substance is not primarily vomit or diarrhea, but a sickly-looking slurry composed mainly of dead, contaminated tissue. As a result, it smells like rotting flesh, not excrement.)*

## Disjunction Bomb

Made by the Amethyst Academy and given to our heroes in episode 16 with instructions to use it to keep any one Faction from getting too powerful. The bomb and the key to operate it was stolen from our heroes in episode 23 by the Queen of Thieves. The effects of the bomb have never been tested, but are rumored by Eldrick Runeweaver to create a localized version of the Deep Haze, rendering the area uninhabitable for some time.

## Golden Delerium

When a Follower of the Falling Fire who has "taken the sacrament" (inserted delerium into their chest) dies, and if their soul was pure, it enters their delerium shard. The delerium then turns golden, and while it maintains its strong magical properties, its toxic properties vanish. Golden Delerium is an incredibly rare and valuable substance.