Fear, Horror and Delirium

Fear, Horror and Delirium are three types of saves in The Domains of Dread which to substantiate how well a character copes with the unusual, often horrible circumstances presented by the Realms of Terror. Because they are grouped together, resistance to one confers resistance to all three. For example an item or class archetype feature stating +1 to saves against fear is equivalent to +1 to saves against horror or delirium.

Modeling how system shock affects any character as individuals is an exercise left to their players. Some may shut down, say nothing, grit their teeth or silently retreat where others might shout or shake, but all are valid reactions to mortal peril. Some may consider themselves fortunate should they survive long enough that all they muster in the face of the demiplane’s continued horrors is something appreciably numb—but others would say that mankind was given the gift of fear for a reason and in this the Mists seem to agree.

Fear

Fear is a status effect and is likewise governed by the same mechanics. There are stages of fear, each having their own consequence. Characters who are afraid have a subject of fear, otherwise known as the entity of whom provoked the fear save. Fear has no lasting effects beyond those listed in the article.

Horror

Horror saves are only ever called for by an administering Game Master in response to scenes of a shocking or revelatory nature. These scenes serve to demonstrate some uncomfortable or alien truth about the demiplane to the character—for example, because it confounds logic or common sense such that the character would struggle to reconcile that truth with their reality.

The effect of a failed horror save depends on the context for what provoked it and why, per the Game Master. Typically they serve to inform the roleplay as opposed to creating more mechanical ramifications.

Delirium

A character must make delirium saves whenever they are in dark, unenclosed spaces or outside during nighttime for periods of time if they are not immune or otherwise inured. These saves occur every 60-180 seconds IRT, scaling up with character levels.

Characters who fail a delirium save accrue a set percentage of delirium out of 100%. Characters of whom are higher level and/or have positive WIS accrue delirium at a lesser rate than those who have less levels or negative WIS. The effects of delirium begin as minor, incurable aliments that soon become debilitating. It may be assumed that a character at or near 100% delirium nears apoplectic and should immediately recuse themselves to a lit interior where their delirium may slowly deteriorate.

The consequences for having high delirium are selected from a hidden table, but all outcomes are undesirable and potentially incapacitating. Characters may reduce the frequency of delirium saves by having natural light sources (eg, not conjured) such as torches or campfires nearby. Certain class archetypes such as Paladin also have inherent resistance, later immunity, to these saves.