Curse of Damned Aging (TP)

This spell curses a creature on the same plane of existence as you with withering and horrific aging. The target must make a Strength saving throw against the spell's DC, which is modified by the Curse Strength Table. On a successful save, the target becomes aware that somebody attempted to curse them. On a failed save, the target becomes cursed and is unaware of this. Upon the completion of this curse's triggering event, the target automatically advances to stage 1 of this curse.

Triggering event: The next time the target changes clothing, they find multiple wrinkles, grey hairs and liver spots they did not previously have.

Stage 1: The cursed creature is compelled to rest when the occasion permits it, becoming lethargic and lazy.

Stage 2: The cursed creature becomes feeble as their muscle mass begins to deteriorate. The cursed creature has disadvantage on Strength saving throws.

Stage 3: The cursed creature starts to age rapidly, becoming decrepit. The cursed creature's Strength score becomes 6, unless it was already lower.

Culmination: Upon failing the final escalation check, the cursed creature twists into a deformed figure and becomes a Body Snatcher. If the creature is a player character, they become an NPC under the GM's control.

Escalation: Escalation represents the curse gaining power as time goes on. At dawn once a day, a cursed creature must make an escalation check to see if their curse escalates. To pass, a creature needs to roll an unmodified d20, and obtain a score greater than the number of checks they have made on this stage. On a failed save, the cursed creature applies the effects of the next stage of the curse, in addition to any previous stages. For example, a creature who has just been cursed makes an escalation check the following dawn. They must roll greater than a 1. The next day the DC will increase to 2, and so on. If, on the 5th dawn, they roll a 5 or less, the curse escalates to the second stage. They apply any new effects and reset the DC to 1.

Curing: Once they have begun, curses are notoriously difficult to cure. Many adventurers have fallen to a curse before they were able to gather the components to cure it. As a result, it is not unheard of for traveling mystics to carry multiple curing ingredients with them, to sell for exorbitant prices. To cure a curse, a cursed creature must be targeted with the remove curse spell. In addition, a number of cure components are required equal to the number of stages their curse has escalated to. For example, a curse that has escalated to stage 3 requires 3 cure components as well as a remove curse spell. The following items outline a number of cure components that can be found within the world of Etharis. A GM can include additional components based on their setting, campaign story or game mechanic they wish to include.

• Hag's promise. A potion brewed by hags, purposely named confusingly.

• A strand of hair from the lost but not found. From a pillow or other possession of a lost person.

• A twice-murdered raven. A raven that has been killed, resurrected, then killed again.

• The highest pinecone of a forest. Found with a lot of climbing.

• A clock which runs backwards. Casting slow and haste on a timepiece will cause it to tick backwards.

• A black pearl, harvested but a week ago.

• Found with a lot of swimming.

• A book that has never been read. From a publisher or printing press.

• A rose that grows in darkness but not sunlight. A rare flower known as a Black Rose.

• A life willingly given. Someone willing to sacrifice themself to cure the cursed.

• Wish. A wish granted by a spell or entity.