TEXT: “Supernatural Terror rules” by Ian Thomson                            The Dying Earth RPG is a trademark of Pelgrane Press. All rights reserved.
  Not to be distributed in any form without specific permission                           1                                 One copy may be printed for personal use only
  Produced and distributed by agreement with Jack Vance c/o Ralph Vicinanza.
  www.dyingearth.com/violetcusps 
  .htm
  Suffering
  Supernatural Terror
  at Cugel-Level
  By Ian Thomson
  Demon picture: Carrie Walters
  Header bar: Dover Books copyright-free resources
  Introduction
  This piece is an extension of the standard DERPG ‘Wherewithal’ rules. It incorporates core ideas from the material
  ‘Resisting Fear of Demons’ (Demons of the Dying Earth, p92), and can be seen as extending that information. The
  point of this piece is to add an extra element of amusing horror effects to your Cugel-Level games. Most specifically
  it is for gauging the reactions of Cugel-Level PCs that encounter unusually terrifying foes. These will usually be
  demons, or creatures with substantial demonic plasm, but could be other beings too - at the GM’s discretion.
  Wherewithal
  “Maintaining your determination in the face of certain pain or supernatural terror.” (DERPG, p20)
  A normal Wherewithal check involves rolling on one’s pool until a success is achieved. One can imagine that a GM
  will apply levies - or even a penalty - dependent on the severity of the terror. However, prior to this point, the actual
  outcomes that follow failure of Wherewithal rolls in terror situations have been unclear.
  
  “Supernatural Terror rules” by Ian Thomson                            The Dying Earth RPG is a trademark of Pelgrane Press. All rights reserved.
  Not to be distributed in any form without specific permission                           2                                 One copy may be printed for personal use only
  Produced and distributed by agreement with Jack Vance c/o Ralph Vicinanza.
  www.dyingearth.com/violetcusps 
  .htm
  Resisting Terror
  The situation is this: the PCs encounter without warning something that the GM feels would rightfully terrify them
  so much that they might be incapable of acting rationally. This might be just because it is significantly more
  frightening that a regular half-man, or because it is a creature from another dimension (as demons are) that radiates
  a supernatural aura of terror.
  Standard Rules – On an encounter with a supernatural terror, the GM assigns a rating for its Aura of Terror. In
  the case of demons, this is the creature’s own Wherewithal rating. In other encounters the GM decides whatever
  they feel is appropriate, dependent on the average Wherewithal ratings of the party. Then a standard contest is
  entered into.
  ‘Action Enhancement’ ruling – Rather than entering into a contest of pools, the GM calls for a single roll against
  the terror. We summarize the information from the ‘Action Enhancement’ article [also available on the Violet
  Cusps page] for your ease - (the range indicates the PC’s Wherewithal rating, and the following number indicates the
  adjustment to be applied to the roll): 0-2 (-2); 3-6 (-1); 7-12 (0); 13-17 (+1); 18+ (+2). Note that the GM can apply a
  further penalty of 1 if she believes that the terror is a major one, or if there is a large number of average/lesser
  terrors. The astute will notice that the range in which most PCs will have their Wherewithal score requires no
  adjustment to the dice roll. This is no coincidence. (Option: A pool point is lost for each success using this ruling.)
  Wherewithal Result
  Illustrious Success: The PC is imbued with righteous zeal and overcomes their fear. Make attack rolls against these creatures
  at a boon of 1. (And the same with any other significant proactive actions against the terror, whatever it is.)
  Prosaic Success: The PC masters their fear during this encounter.
  Hair’s-Breadth Success: The PC freezes in fear for one round, but then rallies and is able to repress their terror for the rest
  of the encounter. (However, after it is all over they need to sit down for a while and have a nice warm beverage.)
  Exasperating Failure: The PC rolls on ‘Terror Table 1’.
  Quotidian Failure: The PC rolls on ‘Terror Table 2’.
  Dismal Failure: The PC rolls on ‘Terror Table 3’.
  Terror Tables
  1
  2
  3
  Abject Despondency
  6
  -
  -
  Eyeball Rolling Unconsciousness
  5
  6
  -
  Panic-Stricken Flight
  4
  5
  6
  Gibbering Idiocy
  3
  4
  5
  Delusional Rationality
  2
  3
  4
  Raving Paranoia
  1
  2
  3
  Suicidal Bravado
  -
  1
  2
  Demented Rage
  -
  -
  1
  Abject Despondency
  The victim falls into massive despondency, and commences bemoaning their fate in the most grating and
  pathetic manner. They also cling to their companions, demanding to be saved/reassured. This continues for a
  number of rounds equal to the current difference between their Wherewithal pool and 20. During this time the
  person can flee and defend themselves at their normal ability, but performs any other actions against the source
  of their terror at a levy of 1 - and performs any actions outside the most immediate urgency at a penalty of 1. If
  somehow the supernatural terror is still present at the end of the stated duration, the person remains in this
  state for another number of minutes equal to the current difference between their Wherewithal pool and 20
  (and then gradually recovers).
  
  “Supernatural Terror rules” by Ian Thomson                            The Dying Earth RPG is a trademark of Pelgrane Press. All rights reserved.
  Not to be distributed in any form without specific permission                           3                                 One copy may be printed for personal use only
  Produced and distributed by agreement with Jack Vance c/o Ralph Vicinanza.
  www.dyingearth.com/violetcusps 
  .htm
  Eyeball Rolling Unconsciousness
  The PC passes out instantly; thudding amusingly to the ground – or even more amusingly into whatever else
  the GM notes is at hand. If undisturbed, they will awaken naturally in a number of minutes =[20-Hp2] (where
  Hp2 is their current Health pool multiplied by 2). Other PCs with ‘Physician’ rating may try and assist this
  person (presuming they are not otherwise occupied). On an IS the person is woken in only 5 rounds, on a PS
  the time of unconsciousness is reduced by two thirds, on an HBS it is reduced by a third. If the supernatural
  terror is somehow still present when they awake, the person then suffers from Despondency (as above).
  Panic-Stricken Flight
  The victim will turn-tail and run as fast as they can in whatever direction visually appears to be least dangerous.
  They will run for as many rounds as the difference between their current Wherewithal pool and 20. In any
  situation where one unknown path leads to safety and another unknown path leads to danger the PC gets
  another Wherewithal roll - in the hopes of choosing the better option. (In other situations the GM rolls
  randomly.) In any event, the person remains irrational until the duration of the terror-response ends. A fleeing
  person cannot be reasoned with, and if physically restrained moves straight into Gibbering Idiocy - see below.
  Once the impulse to flee ends, or once a person is forced to stop (and coweringly hide as best they can)
  because it is impossible to go on, they slip into quiet hysteria for an equal number of rounds. During any of
  this time they can Defend themselves or flee (Athletics) at regular ability, but are otherwise unable to act
  rationally. If the supernatural terror is somehow still present when the suggested duration is over, or if it
  appears again within a few moments, the person suffers Eyeball Rolling Unconsciousness (as above).
  Gibbering Idiocy
  The person is temporarily bereft of wit – drooling, becoming vacant, dropping all held objects, trying to hide in
  a corner, that sort of thing. They cannot move under their own volition, but will follow running comrades if
  someone drags them along, although they might not move quite as fast as they could do if their Wherewithal
  hadn’t suddenly deserted them. This lasts for half as many minutes as the difference between their Wherewithal
  pool and 20. After this, the person is in shock for the same amount of time again, and during this recovery
  time all abilities save defending against physical attack are at a levy of 1. If the supernatural terror is somehow
  still present when the suggested duration is over, or if it appears again within a few moments, the person
  suffers Eyeball Rolling Unconsciousness (as above).
  Delusional Rationality
  For twice as many rounds as the difference between their current Wherewithal pool and 20, the person super-
  rationalizes all threats/dangers/injuries as being ordinary beings/events/minor cuts and grazes. EG:
  On seeing a massive demon approaching: “Observe the immensity of that being. I’ll wager even Prince Kandive’s menagerie won’t
  have a cage large enough to house it!”
  To an animated corpse: “Are you quite well, my good fellow? You are looking a trifle pale?”
  When colleagues bellow about the dangers going on: “Kindly desist from your screechings; I am composing a sonnet in honor of
  the Duchess of Azenomei” (This uttered in an irrational wail.)
  Once this ends, the victim is shaken for as many minutes again, and during this time all abilities save defending
  against physical attack are at a penalty of 1. If the supernatural terror is still present when the suggested
  duration is over, or if it appears again within a few moments, the person suffers Gibbering Idiocy (as above).
  Raving Paranoia
  Everyone and everything is bad. Friends and associates are bound to betray you. Enemies are even more
  fiendish. The duration is for three times as many rounds as the difference between the current Wherewithal
  
  “Supernatural Terror rules” by Ian Thomson                            The Dying Earth RPG is a trademark of Pelgrane Press. All rights reserved.
  Not to be distributed in any form without specific permission                           4                                 One copy may be printed for personal use only
  Produced and distributed by agreement with Jack Vance c/o Ralph Vicinanza.
  www.dyingearth.com/violetcusps 
  .htm
  pool and 20. And after the end of this, the victim is ‘shaken’ for as many minutes again, and all abilities save
  defending against physical attack are at a penalty of 1. During the affliction the victim will refuse to accept any
  plans, and will see any suggestions as doomed at best, and likely deliberately misleading. “You’re going to get us
  all killed!”; “You are working for our enemies; I’ve always known it!”. Associates may make Persuasion
  attempts to try and calm them down, but since the afflicted character is not rational, these will only work to
  help convince them that individual suggestions have merit. (Not to cure the derangement completely.) If the
  supernatural terror is somehow still present when the suggested duration is over, or if it appears again within a
  few moments, the person suffers Delusional Rationality (as above).
  Suicidal Bravado
  The victim attacks the foe with violent fanaticism, using whatever weaponry is at hand. If the character (when
  sane) knows of a weapon at hand that is particularly useful in this situation then they get a Wherewithal roll
  (use ‘Action Enhancement’ ruling) to see if they think of this in their frenzy. The duration of this is for a
  number of rounds equal to 20 minus their current Wherewithal pool. Once the affliction is over, the victim is
  disorientated for an equal number of minutes (presuming they are still alive), and all abilities during that time -
  save defending against physical attack - are at a penalty of 1. An IS with (‘Action Enhancement’ ruling) with
  Persuasion (“Back away, back away!”) might help if the foe is slow. If the supernatural terror is somehow still
  present when the suggested duration is over, or if it appears again within a few moments, the person suffers
  Delusional Rationality (as above).
  Demented Rage
  The victim attacks anything and anyone that is moving or posing a serious potential threat, or making loud
  noises - starting with whatever is most obvious, but turning quickly onto anyone who is attacking back. (If no-
  one attacks back, then the targets are random.) The duration of this is for as many rounds as the difference
  between the current Wherewithal pool and 20. Once the derangement is over, the victim is disorientated for an
  equal number of minutes (presuming they are still alive), and all abilities save defending against physical attack
  are at a penalty of 1 during this recovery period. An IS with Persuasion (‘Action Enhancement’ ruling) might
  help: (“Attack the demon – we are your friends!”). If the supernatural terror is somehow still present when the
  suggested duration is over, or if it appears again within a few moments, the person suffers Raving Paranoia (as
  above).
  Becoming Used to Terrors
  Since supernatural horrors are not necessarily very common in Cugel-Level campaigns, many GMs might be
  happy to leave these rules exactly as they stand. However, optionally at Cugel-Level one might wish to have the
  characters gradually become used to seeing supernatural horrors – something that indicates their increased
  resilience over time. Some will be happy enough with the regular Wherewithal rules – noting that the higher
  one’s Wherewithal rises, the better the chance of resisting supernatural terror. If this is insufficient, here is one
  possible means to indicate this in the game. The GM must keep track of any demon (or other supernatural
  entity) a PC encounters whenever the PC successfully rolls an IS against it with their Wherewithal. As soon as
  this happens, the PC is thereafter declared immune - and the demon-types to which they are immune should be
  noted on their character sheet. An extension of this ruling is for the GM to call for a number of Wherewithal
  IS’s to be required. That is to say that a regular minor demon would require only one IS to be rolled when
  resisting its aura of terror, and this then results in the PC becoming immune in future encounters. However, a
  demon of middling capacity might require two IS’s to be rolled against it (one in each of two separate
  encounters) - and a major demon might require three – before immunity to terror is granted.
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dying Earth/The Dying Earth Suffering Supernatural Terror at Cugel-Level.pdf