# [[Black Hollow Curse]] The Black Hollow Curse is a curse that was caused by the party on a level of [[The Gauntlight]]. It affects creatures in that area and has notable effects on both the living and the undead. ## Effects - **Visual**: Affected creatures have blackened skin - **Undead Transformation**: Creatures killed while under the curse can rise as undead - **Undead Types**: Can create both incorporeal undead and ghoul-like undead ## Affected Creatures ### Session 107 - **[[Fleshwarp|Fleshwarps]]**: Two dead Fleshwarps were found corrupted by the curse, their skin turned black. Both rose as undead after death. - **[[Graveknight Armor]]**: The Level 10 cursed armor is also affected by the Black Hollow Curse ## Relationship to Black Frost The Black Hollow Curse appears to be distinct from the [[Black Frost]] curse, though both involve undead transformation. The exact nature of how the party "caused" this curse on this level has not yet been fully detailed. ### Session 132 - Both **Plant Zombies** (formed from two [[Dreshkan|Dreshkans]]) carried the curse. - A Tar Zombie's vomit spread it to [[Ashnefrotty|Ash]], who suffered **Black Hollow Stage 1**: Doomed 1 with the *Unholy* tag. The effect comes from [[Nhimbaloth]]. ### Session 133 The curse has changed. It now has a **divine** component it did not have when the party first saw it, and the undead it raises are altered too ([[Hollow Tar Zombie|Hollow Tar Zombies]], [[Hollow Root-Ridden]]). The obvious culprit is Nhimbaloth ([[133_20261018 Healer Heal Thyself]]). **Rules as learned this session** - A save is made every day; a failed daily save raises the stage by 1 (a critical failure raises it by 2) - It spreads through hostile actions, to both living and undead targets - It can't drop below Stage 1 until counteracted; *Cleanse Affliction* of rank 4 or higher can remove it, and the first casting automatically reduces the stage by 1 (once per person) - Its counteract rank is **5**, and a failed attempt to remove it spreads it to the healer. Once it knows you, it is harder to remove - Divine healing on an infected creature is halved - **Stage 3 is final**: the next time the victim drops, they die permanently and are erased from memory, just like dying deep in The Gauntlight **Ash (Stage 1, manifested)**: *unholy*, Doomed 1, -1 to Will saves vs. fear, death, and necromancy. He gains void healing while vitality healing still works, void resistance 7, detect undead (60 ft), and +1 status bonus to attacks and skill checks per point of Doomed. He dreams of being observed from very far away, and holy symbols react to him with a faint discomfort. **[[Calamity's Ruin]]**: all three remaining members are infected. **[[Vandy Banderdash]]**: caught it when she healed [[Grumblebum|Grumble]], and failed an attempt to remove it herself. [[Vayle]] found her at Stage 3, Doomed 3, and removed it with three castings of *Cleanse Affliction*, the last at rank 4. Open question: who else in [[Otari]] has it?