Many of the perilous active effects and contexts during game play will leave a lasting impact on a character’s demeanor, their physical body, and their overall sense of well being. Depending on any particular adventure campaign, the GM may envision additional altered states that function similarly to the ones noted here in the Adventures chapter. However, the altered states noted here will mediate most standard situations a character may experience as a result of perilous encounters. Altered states can be reversed over time depending on various treatments. In most instances the adventurers experiencing the effects of an altered state need simply to remove themselves from the perilous context itself. In other cases, healing and the passage of time must be endured. The standard altered states are listed in the following chart, and described in more detail in the sections below.

Altered State	Description and Effect
Broken Bones	Must immobilize the broken part of their body for 14 successions; if legs, they cannot walk
Dehydration	After 2 successions without water, -1 Base Capacity each additional succession; if Base Capacity = 0, character dies
Disease	An incurable affliction; -4 Base Capacity (BCap), -2 CHA, possible visible change in skin, hair or teeth
Encumbrance	Movement rates are cut in half; if encumbered for more than 2 rounds, then fatigued
Exhaustion	Movement rates quartered; -6 any action or initiative; -4 avoidance; -4 Base Capacity; chance to panic
Exposure	Exposure to extreme temperatures or extended weather causes fatigue, exhaustion, or severe burns
Fatigue	Movement rates halved; -2 any action, avoidance, initiative; Sustain Strength (STR) / 6 rounds
Fear	Depends on poise; causes immediate instinct for self-preservation by cowering or fleeing for 12 rounds
Hangover	Negative physiological effects from certain elixirs or tonics; -4 actions, -4 Poise and Avoidance, 2 successions
Illness	Airborne or waterborne toxin; symptoms cause -2 actions, avoidance, initiative, and limit movement
Inebriation	Shapes actions and agreeability; +4 CHA and -4 ACC per 2 strong beverages, -4 CHA after 4 drinks
Infection	Stops normal healing process; untreated wounds worsen (+2 injury every 2 turns, max +6) or fester
Injured	Accumulated injury points at half capacity; all actions and avoidance are -2, movement -¼
Loss of Morale	Doubt and the loss of hope; lowers actions and poise -2, resistances -4, until circumstances change
Panic and Trauma	Two failed Aversion (WIS) resistance rolls cause irrational fear for 2 rounds; permanent after 8 cycles
Severe Burns	Injury as noted per damage, but it leaves scars; if on arms, face, or legs, permanent -2 AGI
Starvation	After 5 successions without food, -1 Base Capacity each additional succession; if Base Capacity = 0, character dies
Toxic Shock	A body- or mind-altering toxic effect; causes vomiting, illness, -4 Base Capacity, -2 Readiness for 1 succession

Broken Bones

Bones are resilient, but not indestructible. If a character suffers a large fall, and in certain other dangerous conflict scenarios, their bones will break under the pressure and intensity of the force. Typically, broken bones result from a free fall greater than 20 feet to solid ground, but some combatants make precision strikes against an opponent that can break bones to end a fight. The GM will mediate the cause of broken bones at their discretion. A character with broken bones must immobilize the broken part of their body for 14 successions, typically by using a splint or similar wrapping to make sure the broken area does not move. If the character’s broken bones are one or both of their legs, they will be unable to walk without assistance for 14 successions.

Dehydration / Starvation

It should be assumed that adventurers need food and water to survive. When an adventure party is stuck in the wastes without an adequate food supply, they must forage or hunt for meals. Foods and drinks need to be gathered and prepared accordingly, using the skills Forage (PER), for water sources and edible plants or mushrooms, Hunt (END), for local game, and Fish (END) for catching fish in available bodies of water. Characters underground or in sequestered dungeon locales must carry their food and water with them; if they run out of food and water while trapped inside, they will not be able to forage or hunt for meals unless a body of water in the subterranean locale contains life (at the GM’s discretion). Desperate adventurers stuck deep underground, or in other planes of reality have tried to eat creatures that lurk there, but most of them are poisonous to consume, even if cooked thoroughly. Even naturally occurring food or water found in alternate planes of reality and underground locales should be considered potentially toxic, and thus should be purified before consumption.

In situations that trap an adventure party without a supply of food or water, they will begin to experience the effects of dehydration after two successions. If there is an ample supply of water, but no food, starvation will begin to occur after four successions. Once dehydration or starvation begins, it will increase incrementally each succession until the adventure party acquires food and/or water. Without both food and water, the effects of dehydration and starvation will compound. At succession three without water and succession five without food, the character will accrue a direct penalty of -1 to their base capacity, which will lower the maximum capacity of the character considerably. This Base Capacity penalty increases by -1 for each succession starvation and dehydration occurs. When an adventurer’s Base Capacity reaches zero, they will have died due to thirst or starvation.

Disease

Diseases often result from extended periods underground or through encounters with infected creatures across Arxis. When a character is afflicted with an incurable ailment that manifests in the body, other members of society tend to keep their distance, assuming that death will visit them soon. Sometimes diseases manifest in visible symptoms such as skin discoloration, scabs, or internal bleeding that causes patchy bruising on the body. Characters proficient in the arcane ritual Adaptation (END) have access to emergent powers that can also heal diseases. 

Diseases are also the result of untreated illnesses allowed to fester and grow in the body (see “Illness” below). A character with an illness that goes untreated for more than 5 successions (20 cycles) will begin to see the effects of the illness compound in the form of an untreatable infection in the body. At that point, the PC must roll an Infection (END) Resistance against a difficulty of 14 for standard locales and 16 for subterranean locales or alternate planes of reality. If the infection resistance is successful, the character will purge the illness after another 4 successions (16 cycles). If the infection resistance fails, the character will have contracted a permanent and incurable disease (without intervention from emergent powers). An incurable disease permanently lowers Base Capacity by -4, and deals a penalty of -2 to their CHA score, possibly also causing visible change in skin, hair or teeth, at the GM’s discretion.

Encumbrance

Most equipment and supplies have a consequential weight that must be recorded as part of an adventurer’s inventory (see the earlier chapter, “Equipment”). A character’s carry weight is the amount a character can comfortably carry and is directly linked to their STR attribute score. When a character’s load exceeds their carry weight, they are encumbered. Encumbered characters move at half the normal movement rate in either standard or limited conditions, and they will receive a -2 to all action tests. If a character moves or travels while remaining encumbered for more than 2 rounds, they become fatigued (see “Fatigue” below). Encumbered characters can always choose to stop and rest for 1 round before resuming their travels, following the model of travel for 2 rounds, rest for 1 round, travel for 2 rounds, rest for 1 round, and so on. However, this can only be repeated for 1 cycle (essentially twelve times) before the character will become exhausted.

Exhaustion

At times during adventure, characters may find themselves unable to rest for extended periods, especially when trapped in areas such as underground locales, settlements under duress, military engagements, or within ancient remnants full of strange machinations. In these situations, exhaustion will begin to drastically affect the readiness and resolve of any adventurer. Additionally, a character traveling under certain other altered states can lead to exhaustion, which clouds judgment and increases peril. Anytime a character remains awake beyond twenty-four hours, they must pass a Debility (END) resistance or they are considered exhausted. Anytime a character remains awake beyond 2 successions, they are immediately exhausted. Anytime an adventure party decides to travel without rest or travel in inclement weather conditions, they have a similar potential for exhaustion, and must pass a Debility (END) resistance test.

Characters in a state of exhaustion move at ¼ their movement rate at any pace or condition; they receive a penalty of -6 to all initiative and action tests, -4 to avoidance, a -4 to Base Capacity, and their natural healing rate is stalled. Exhaustion remains in effect until the adventurer has rested for at least twelve hours (2 cycles of rest). If a character remains exhausted for three successions, they must pass a Debility (END) resistance test or they begin to suffer the effects of panic. Even if this Debility (END) resistance is successful, it must be repeated for every additional succession the character remains exhausted. If an adventurer is unable to resist panic in their state of exhaustion, they will become unable to function and may lose sight of their faculties altogether (see “Panic and Trauma” below).

Exposure

When exposed to the elements or to certain disastrous catastrophes, a character’s fragile mortal existence vividly presents itself. Extreme states of heat and cold operate like active effects that continue to penalize the character’s physical well-being for the duration of their environmental exposure. Whenever an adventurer is exposed to below-freezing temperatures and is unable to build a fire or find considerable shelter from the wind and bundle beneath thick blankets, they are considered to be freezing. Alternatively, when a character becomes trapped near fire, lava, or other forms of extreme heat, they are considered to be scorching. In either extreme, the altered state is the same and can only be mitigated by passing a Debility (END) resistance test. When the Debility (END) resistance is successful, the adventurer can postpone their exposure altered state for 12 rounds (2 hours). If they cannot find relief during that time, will be unable to resist the full brunt of the altered state. A freezing or scorching character’s movement rates are diminished by half, and they suffer a penalty of -4 to initiative, actions, and avoidance. Every round (approximately ten minutes) that a character remains freezing or scorching also deals [d4] injury. If the adventurer accumulates injury in excess of their capacity, they will have died by exposure. If adventurers find safety and shelter from extreme temperatures before they die, they will stabilize and regain their movement, at which time they must rest to heal (at their standard rate) from their exposure injuries.

Fatigue

Fatigue results from characters who push themselves beyond their limitations, through actions or exploration as noted in earlier chapters such as traveling long hours. Fatigue is considered a transitional altered state, one that leads to exhaustion and signals to a character that they need to stop and rest. When a character experiences fatigue, their movement rates are halved, and all actions, avoidance, and initiative tests are penalized by -2. Continual action for a fatigued character requires they pass a Sustain Strength (STR) skill test, which will allow them to continue acting and moving for another 6 rounds. Failed tests result in exhaustion (see “Exhaustion” above).

Fear

Fear is a mental and emotional condition, a gripping state of being that every member of civilization experiences at one point or another. Those overwhelmed by fear are unable to take an action while in its effects, and can only flee or stand and try to defend themselves. Fear will make adventurers break formation, flee the front lines, or abandon their comrades. Adventurers can instill fear in others as a tool to gain an advantage. Those who have the appropriate proficiency and training in lore or spellwork can evoke fear in the hearts of others at will. Any time the adventurers are completely surprised by a powerful opponent, the GM should also roll to determine if those caught off guard succumb to a fearful state. The standard risk of fear when completely surprised is 50% (a difficulty of 10), but often characters will use their poise readiness score as the difficulty for succumbing to fear. When a character becomes gripped in fear at the start of a conflict encounter, they will lose all initiative and are unable to act for 2 full turns. Alternatively, dependent on a Detection (PER) that might determine surprise, fear-stricken and surprised adventurers might turn and run from battle. In extreme circumstances, fear might grip adventurers for extended periods. When this happens, the adventurer must pass a Debility (END) resistance test in order to cope with the horror of what they have experienced. Failed tests create panic and lasting psychological trauma (see below).

Hangover

Much like alcoholic beverages, alchemical concoctions that have the potential to alter a character’s physiology have the dubious effect of causing intense hangovers. Anytime a character imbibes an applicable spirit, elixir, or tonic, the character must make a Hangover (END) resistance test against the difficulty values noted in the chapter “Specialization.” Additionally, whenever a character drinks past their threshold while inebriated, they likewise should make a Hangover (END) resistance test against a difficulty of 14. Resisting the hangover successfully means that the character got lucky; they may suffer no noticeable debilitating effects, but they may still be sensitive to light or sounds. Failed Hangover (END) resistance tests result in a character debilitated for 2 full successions while their body purges the lasting physiological effects of the powerful substance they imbibed. While hungover, the character receives -4 to initiative, actions, avoidance and poise.

Illness

An illness is any airborne, fluid borne, or waterborne toxin that produces noticeable symptoms in the body that limit movement and reduce reaction time of the sick. Illnesses are contracted from filthy conditions where characters are unable to maintain an adequate level of hygiene and a stable source of freshwater, such as in underground or wilderness locales. Additionally, some people and creatures carry illnesses that are contractible if the characters come into direct contact with them. The GM will instruct the adventurers to roll a Toxin (END) resistance test anytime an adventurer encounters an unknown substance underground or during an up-close encounter with an ill creature or person. The conditions of the toxic contexts will be mediated at the GM’s discretion. Toxin (END) resistances typically are measured against the standard difficulty of 12, depending on the illness in question. When an illness is contracted, it should be treated immediately to avoid risk of disease. While ill, a character suffers -2 to all actions, initiative, and avoidance, has a -2 to Base Capacity, and can only make limited movements

Illnesses can be treated with a series of ritual or alchemical practices, and will usually run their course in due time. But if left untreated, illnesses run the risk of becoming incurable diseases. A character with an illness that goes untreated for more than 1 week of time (20 cycles) will begin to see the effects of the illness compound in the form of an untreatable infection in the body. At that point, the ill character must roll an Infection (END) resistance against a difficulty of 14 for standard locales and 16 for subterranean locales. If the Infection (END resistance is successful, the character will purge the illness after another 4 successions (16 cycles) of ill effects. If the Infection (END) resistance fails, the character will have contracted a permanent and incurable disease (see “Disease” above).

Inebriation

Whenever a character drinks an alcoholic beverage, they will likely experience the benefits and the risks of imbibing spirits. At the GM’s discretion, characters who drink alcohol within their tolerance (one or more drinks) will experience a light buzz, initially gaining +2 CHA, but losing -2 ACC for up to 1 cycle as the alcohol leaves the body. To reach inebriation, a character must drink past their threshold. The threshold of inebriation for a character is a total number of drinks equal to 3 + their END bonus or penalty (with 1 drink being the minimum). For example, a character with an END penalty of -2 or lower will find their threshold of inebriation after 1 drink. A character with an END bonus of +3 will not reach their threshold until they have had 6 drinks. 

Characters who drink up to or past their threshold will move from a light buzz to full inebriation. While in their initial inebriated state, the character may be unable to refuse the offer of an additional drink, which will push them further past their threshold. In the event the character drinks beyond their threshold, the usual bonus to their CHA will increase to +4 for a period of 12 rounds. After that, a character’s inebriation takes a risky turn as their body continues to process the alcohol. A character inebriated for more than 12 rounds must pass a Debility (END) resistance test. If the resistance test fails, the character will pass out, regardless of their location, and be unable to wake without alchemical means. If the Debility (END) resistance test succeeds, the character can continue, but they experience an adjustment of -4 CHA, -4 AGI, and -4 ACC for 1 cycle. Additionally, the character who reaches this stage of inebriation must make a Hangover (END) resistance test.

Infection

A wound that goes unbandaged or untreated for more than 4 turns will worsen, meaning that at the start of the third turn with an untreated injury, the character receives +2 additional injury points. A worsening injury will continue to compound every additional 2 turns for a maximum of +6 injury points as a result of the untreated injury. The narrator will request that the player makes an Infection (END) resistance test whenever an injury worsens. Typically, the Infection (END) resistance test score must exceed the standard difficulty of 12, but this is dependent on the context of the injury, at the GM’s discretion. 

Infected injuries cannot heal until the infection abates. An infection may pass on its own; after 2 cycles with an infection, the narrator will instruct the player to make another Infection (END) resistance at a +2 difficulty. Success means the infection passed on its own. A failed test here means that the wound will fester. A festering wound will not heal and the injury will continue to compound by +1 injury per cycle. Infected injuries left to fester for more than one succession will see added injury, +2 injury points every cycle for a total +3 injury per cycle until the character is treated, or dead. An infected injury can be treated with the Treat Injury ranked specialized action, various salves, and it can be negated by the Elixir of Healing. Once an infection is adequately treated, the healing process resumes immediately from that point in time. Infections can also happen internally due to prolonged illness, which can lead to disease. See “Illness” and “Disease” above.

Injured

The injured altered state is applied to any character who currently has accumulated points of injury equal to half their capacity. If slowly healing from extensive injuries, a character’s movement and actions are limited. Lower their movement rate by ¼, and deal -2 to all actions and avoidance. 

Loss of Morale

When traveling through the wilderness for long stretches of time, experiencing bouts of inclement weather, or when navigating the remnants or alternate planes, characters will struggle to maintain their standard grip on reality given their helplessness in the face of unchangeable circumstances. It makes sense that after a lifetime of living in civilization that occupying other planes of reality or traversing the lifeless wastes would have a detrimental effect on morale. At any time an adventure party spends more than two full successions in the wastes, deep underground, or in another plane of reality—and again every additional succession once per succession—the GM will instruct the players to roll an Aversion (WIS) resistance test. Failing the Aversion (WIS) resistance test while underground, in the wastes, or in similar perilous circumstances will cause a loss of morale at the GM’s discretion. The initial effects of a loss of morale happen individually, in that a character with lowered morale suffers -2 to their poise, and -4 to all resistance tests. Loss of morale is a contagious mindset. Even if only one character in the party experiences loss of morale, whenever the Aversion (WIS) resistance is tested a second time, all characters experience a -1 to their Aversion (WIS) resistance for that test. The effects of a loss of morale can be avoided through careful attention to rest, food, and fellowship. Even when in the wastes or underground, a party that ensures they remain committed to a mindful connection to civilization will be able to keep their morale high. Whenever loss of morale is experienced, however, its effects are usually permanent until the characters can remove themselves from their context or alter their morale through some emergent means. The GM will mediate these scenarios at their own discretion.

Panic and Psychological Trauma

The psychological effects of dangerous encounters can drastically affect an adventurer’s state of balance and well-being. Certain strange occurrences or extreme conditions will test a character’s grip on reality and their measure of coping with trauma. In some cases, adventurers might experience panic from exhaustion or extended bouts of fear. In other instances, panic might be the unfortunate side effect of certain sorcery and intrigue. In any event, when a character is unable to resist the effects of the impending panic facing them, they are reduced to a nearly actionless state. Characters gripped with panic struggle with an unavoidable fear. They may experience hallucinations, have an effective PER score of 0, cannot participate in conflict encounters, and are unable to perform most tasks without the direct help of others.

While panic is temporary and the effects will reverse themselves in time, some instances of psychological trauma can be permanent. In the event a character is trapped in a state of panic and trauma for more than one week, there is no easy cure that will return them to a state of stability. This typically happens if an adventure party becomes lost or stranded for extended periods of time. Those who suffer from this severe trauma must abandon their adventure travels, and will never again enter subterranean locales or wild locations. Characters experiencing the dynamic state of permanent trauma, while they are ill-equipped to carry out adventure, can still lead productive lives in safe communities that offer aid and provide respite. The narrator and players should work together to determine the course of action for characters whose psychological panic during adventure has become inescapable.

Severe Burns

Severe burns may result from a dangerous explosion or exposure to fire, lava, boiling oil, scalding water, or another similar dangerous encounter. Whenever a character has experienced severe burns, it is considered that the burns are affecting a large portion of their body. As such, a character with severe burns will not be able to continue traveling, exploring, and engaging in their adventures as they had done before. Characters with severe burns suffer injury as normal (as per the context of the burns), but they will be unable to move without assistance for 14 successions. Additionally, severe burns leave scars congruent with the dangerous contact to the character’s skin. Permanent scars and scar tissue on the skin causes the character to suffer a permanent adjustment to their attributes: a penalty of -2 to AGI.

Toxic Shock

Whenever contact with a toxin cannot be resisted, the character will experience the effects of toxic shock, which causes vomiting and the symptoms of illness for 1 succession. After a succession has passed, characters experiencing toxic shock will have the opportunity to resist its effects a second time. If another toxic resistance fails, the character will suffer the effects for one additional succession. The effects of toxic shock include -4 to Base Capacity and -2 to Readiness.