Malaise

Introduction

The Fractured Lands are dangerous, full of monsters and worse. Even just the environment is ready to kill you at a moment’s notice. However, danger alone isn’t enough to justify the prestige awarded to successful treasure hunters, not to mention the extremely high rates they tend to charge.

The true reason lies with the Malaise. Creatures that spend too long in the Fractured Lands slowly become corrupted by it. In small amounts, this causes no long term issues, though it does make the transition across the Lightwell more painful.

As the level of corruption increases, crossing the Lightwell becomes more and more difficult. Eventually, it becomes impossible, and the Lightwell will destroy the corrupted creature irrevocably.

Hunters adjust to the Malaise differently. Some treat it like a disease and work to maintain sanitary control while in the Fractured Lands. Others keep strict track of time and will only spend so many hours or days past the Lightwell. Scholars haven’t been willing to experiment with it, because doing so would put them at risk of corruption themselves, so there isn’t much concrete knowledge about the Malaise and its true effects. The knowledge there is comes from hearsay and anecdotal experiences of various hunters.