COSMIC SEAS: NECROTIC ENERGY

NECROTIC ENERGY DAMAGE

“Never before had he known what shapeless black things lurk and caper and flounder all through the aether, leering and grinning at such voyagers as may pass, and sometimes feeling about with slimy paws when some moving object excites their curiosity. These are the nameless larvae of the Other Gods, and like them are blind and without mind, and possessed of singular hungers and thirsts.” 

-H. P. Lovecraft. Dream Quest of Unknown Kadath

In the Cosmic Seas setting, mortal space explorers are constantly at risk from exposure to the dreaded Necrotic Energy. This life draining energy permeates the space between the worlds and is always seeking ways to drain the life and light from the worlds. 

Necrotic Energy affects a spherical area, radiating out from a source point. Necrotic Energy can extend into solid objects with only lead offering protection from this energy. The closer one gets to the center of an area of necrotic energy, the stronger the necrotic energy effect becomes. Necrotic Energy entries list the maximum level of necrotic energy in an area, as well as the radius out to which this necrotic energy level applies. Each increment up to an equal length beyond that radius degrades the necrotic energy strength by one level. For example, a source of high necrotic energy with a radius of 20 feet creates a zone of medium radiation 21 feet to 40 feet from the center in all directions, and a similar zone of low necrotic energy from 41 to 60 feet.

Necrotic Energy damage is poison damage and any ability or spell that affects poison will, likewise, affect necrotic energy damage. Creatures that are immune to poison damage take no damage from necrotic energy, and creatures resistant to poison damage suffer half the normal levels of exhaustion on a failed saving throw, rounding down.

Creatures that are exposed to necrotic energy must make a saving throw each round or suffer levels of exhaustion, as set out in the Necrotic Energy Damage table. If the saving throw fails by 5 or more, the creature suffers more levels of exhaustion, as set out in the Necrotic Energy Damage table.

TABLE: NECROTIC ENERGY DAMAGE
Necrotic Energy Level	Constitution Saving Throw DC	Failed Saving Throw	Failed Saving Throw by more than 5
Low	10	One level of exhaustion	Two levels of exhaustion
Medium	15	Two levels of exhaustion	Three levels of exhaustion
High	20	Three levels of exhaustion	Four levels of exhaustion
Severe	25	Four levels of exhaustion	Five levels of exhaustion

  
NOTES: Necrotic Energy is my answer to Radiation, and even as an in-game explanation for the cold of space. In the Cosmic Seas setting, horrid undead entities lurk in Space, and necrotic (negative) energy is an excellent catchall for the horribleness and danger of space travel.