Fiend's reality wrinkle and 5th edition lair effects

[Mephisto of the FoS]

In my QtR#28 article "Sins of the Father" Vigo Drakov has a 40 ft. diameter reality wrinkle, but it is a result of many power rituals he has performed that have shrunk it to that size and make him even more trapped in the Demiplane.

On that same QtR issue in my "The Conch Shell of Sorrows" article the condensed essence of Dagon that created the relic makes the reality wrinkle centred around the Conch Shell of Sorrows to have disruptive qualities to the reality within its radius, transforming those around it into otherwordly creatures.

[Mephisto of the FoS]

Actually, with the rules as written a fiend cannot become a darklord. So, in order to trap it, the Dark Powers give the fiend access to rituals. Those rituals bind the fiend more and more to demiplane of dread until its corruption score becomes high enough that its reality wrinkle completely disappears and the fiend is immediately bound to Ravenloft as a darklord or mist outsider, unable to ever leave.

In Mistipedia it says that when an evil or good outsider is "bound" by its corruption points (for evil outsiders after performing a number of Power Rituals) then they are susceptible to Power Checks and can become darklords.

[alhoon]

I meant before they fill their corruption points. A fiend that fills with corruption points becomes immediately trapped as a darklord, unless I remember wrong.

[Mephisto of the FoS]

I meant before they fill their corruption points. A fiend that fills with corruption points becomes immediately trapped as a darklord, unless I remember wrong.

As I understood it they don't become darklords after being completely corrupted they just have no hope of escaping Ravenloft. As it is written in Mistipedia then they can fail Power Checks and become darklords just as everyone else.

[alhoon]

I meant before they fill their corruption points. A fiend that fills with corruption points becomes immediately trapped as a darklord, unless I remember wrong.

As I understood it they don't become darklords after being completely corrupted they just have no hope of escaping Ravenloft. As it is written in Mistipedia then they can fail Power Checks and become darklords just as everyone else.

Could be, that's just what I remember anyway. But Gothic Horror-wise, fiends are so evil, beyond anything a mortal could ever be, that they should thematically be immediately trapped.

[paireon]

Even Gith get reality wrinkles? Huh, that's wild, especially since they've never been treated as fiends otherwise. Would it be safe then to assume that other Outer Planes creatures such as Slaadi, Modrons, Formians, Inevitables, and the various types of celestials (screw you 4-5e for scrapping archons and making eladrins just fairy-ish elves+) also get reality wrinkles? IIRC I've seen some people speculate that the Carnival's Twisting was an effect caused by Isolde's own version of a reality wrinkle.

In my QtR#28 article "Sins of the Father" Vigo Drakov has a 40 ft. diameter reality wrinkle, but it is a result of many power rituals he has performed that have shrunk it to that size and make him even more trapped in the Demiplane.

On that same QtR issue in my "The Conch Shell of Sorrows" article the condensed essence of Dagon that created the relic makes the reality wrinkle centred around the Conch Shell of Sorrows to have disruptive qualities to the reality within its radius, transforming those around it into otherwordly creatures.

Gonna have to read these; Vigo Drakov is one of my favourite non-Darklord villains of the setting, and Dagon is one of my favourite demon lords (thanks, HPL).

[Mephisto of the FoS]

IIRC I've seen some people speculate that the Carnival's Twisting was an effect caused by Isolde's own version of a reality wrinkle.

It is not a mere speculation it is a fact (as far as fantasy worlds are concerned ), the Carnival accessory states that because of the Demiplanes nature, Isolde's reality wrinkle distorts the fabric of reality and anyone caught in it is slowly transformed into a monstrosity. Isolde has no control over that, (meaning she cannot turn an off-switch) but she has the ability to halt the transformation of those around her. Thus the protection she offers to the members of the Carnival is also a protection against her reality wrinkle. A few unfortunates who where stupid enough to commit a crime against the troupe of the Carnivalhad that protection lifted and were transformed into puddles of living flesh.

From Mistipedia

The Twisting denotes the effects visited upon the Living by the reality wrinkle of Isolde. Those who remain near her for too long are warped physically. Their bodies shift in an expression of their inner nature. The change is not permanent, but it takes much longer to reverse than the time that it has been in effect. Isolde keeps the Twisting in check by force of will. By ceasing this effort and letting the fury of her reality wrinkle loose, she creates the abominations (She does not consider this to be an at all evil act. She does so as punishment for especially evil acts. And she deems it to be perfectly appropriate that one's appearance expresses one's true nature). Equally, Isolde can, by a partial and precise loosing of her hold, engage in deliberate works of fleshcrafting, such as the restoration of Silessa to a elven form.

[Jeremy16]

Huh, and here I thought that "native" fiends such as half-fiends and rakshasas didn't get reality wrinkles. I don't remember Arijani even been given one in any case.

As for Malocchio, he could be atypical in this, as he is in many other instances. But that's just me speculating.

I tend to agree with this assessment. Such "native outsiders" would not have reality wrinkles, only special fiendish abilities they inherited from their progenitors. I think reality wrinkles should only be for fiends that have been transported to Ravenloft only. It makes it easier for half-fiends to blend into normal society better and harder to detect by those who may be on the lookout for such otherworldly beings.

Since there are very few canon references to this phenomena, I'm curious to see other people's opinions are...

I've done some further digging around, specifically reviewing the Kargatane's old netbook Children of the Night: Demons, and it looks like I was wrong. Even the half-cambion, half-human NPC Kraxxat gets a reality wrinkle. That, along with Malacchio's reality wrinkle (from GazIV) is enough canon evidence for me to admit that half-fiends have them. (They do seem exempt, however, from getting phylacteries.)

The introduction also says that anybody can detect these reality wrinkles, but paladins and good-aligned clerics get bonuses to the DC roll. So I guess that answers all my questions regarding 3e...

[Mephisto of the FoS]

That, along with Malacchio's reality wrinkle (from GazIV) is enough canon evidence for me to admit that half-fiends have them. (They do seem exempt, however, from getting phylacteries.)

They don't get phylacteries? Oh oh... I had Vigo Drakov having one, oops...

[alhoon]

Even Gith get reality wrinkles? Huh, that's wild, especially since they've never been treated as fiends otherwise. Would it be safe then to assume that other Outer Planes creatures such as Slaadi, Modrons, Formians, Inevitables, and the various types of celestials (screw you 4-5e for scrapping archons and making eladrins just fairy-ish elves+) also get reality wrinkles? IIRC I've seen some people speculate that the Carnival's Twisting was an effect caused by Isolde's own version of a reality wrinkle.

Not all Gith, Specifically Githyanki that in the 3e era of Ravenloft were Outsiders of the evil subtype.

In the "Ask Azalin" I was specifically told by the Kargatane that from the Gothic Horror Perspective, a Githyanki is treated as the same incomprehensibly, evil-beyond-mortal entity and that reacts with Ravenloft. Unlike usual fiends I was told they start with a reality wrinkle of 1000 ft / level.

I think that was the point they wanted to make, that all outsiders of evil subtype are considered entities of unspeakable evil whether they look more humanoid or not.

That said, that is the official answer. The evil subtype has been dropped I think from 5e, so it doesn't apply here. Furthermore Githyanki are no longer "outsiders" of evil, they are humanoids.

[Mistmaster]

But in 3.5 they had no alignement subtype.

[alhoon]

But in 3.5 they had no alignement subtype.

Then what I said, does not apply to 3.5 Githyanki. Although I have asked the question in 2001 or 2002 I think, before 3.5.

EDIT: 3.5 edition Githyanki are not even outsiders! they are extraplanar humanoids which for Ravenloft is the same as any other outlander.
So, no reality wrinkle, at all.

[paireon]

But in 3.5 they had no alignement subtype.

Then what I said, does not apply to 3.5 Githyanki. Although I have asked the question in 2001 or 2002 I think, before 3.5.

EDIT: 3.5 edition Githyanki are not even outsiders! they are extraplanar humanoids which for Ravenloft is the same as any other outlander.
So, no reality wrinkle, at all.

LOL, was about to post about that.

That said, rakshasa also don't have any alignment subtype, just the Native subtype, but I could see them have a reality wrinkle given that they're usually treated as scarcely less evil than devils and demons. As for half-fiends/cambions, I'd say it also makes sense to give them one; tieflings I'd argue the bloodline is too diluted (and it's also much easier for them to choose to not be evil, traditionally). Don't remember other Native-subtype evil outsiders off the top of my head; couatl are good Native outsiders though, so any unfortunate enough to be snagged by the Mists would likely have a reality wrinkle, like Isolde and rakshasa.

In any case 5e should be a bit easier to parse out given how the Outsider type was split mostly into Celestial and Fiend* and tieflings don't have the Fiend type.

*"Neutral" Outsiders tend to be shifted to other types (modrons becoming Constructs, slaadi becoming Aberrations, etc.) while "elemental" Outsiders like genies, salamanders, xorn etc. all got reclassified as Elementals, and besides IIRC the latter never got reality wrinkles.

[alhoon]

Has anyone seen any corrupted Genies? Like a Grave Dao or Pyre Efreeti?

[paireon]

Has anyone seen any corrupted Genies? Like a Grave Dao or Pyre Efreeti?

(Sorry for the late answer, was absent from the forum for a while)
DUDE. That is an AWESOME idea. I'll likely have to steal it (with your permission of course) for when I get to Pharazia and/or make an Arabian Nights-based Cluster.