Delerium

Delerium

Delerium is a magical mineral left behind by the meteor that struck Drakkenheim. It appears in geode clusters of trans lucent, sharp-edged crystals that reflect octarine light. The eldritch stones softly hum in dissonant tones, and glow brightly at night or when exposed to magic. Deposits are found throughout Drakkenheim, often fused into stone streets and buildings like crystalline moss.

A typical delerium fragment is about the size of a finger. Crystals may be fist-sized or slightly larger, and geodes may be as big as a pumpkin. Massive clusters might grow taller than an average human.

Delerium Properties

All delerium samples have the following traits regardless of size:

• Immune to necrotic, poison, and psychic damage; as well as bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from non magical weapons.
• Resistant to acid, cold, fire, and lightning damage; as well as slashing and piercing damage from magical weapons.
• Vulnerable to bludgeoning damage from magical weapons.
• Unless contained within an antimagic field, delerium shatters and crumbles into worthless ash when reduced to zero hit points. However, delerium geodes release a random Arcane Anomaly when destroyed (see below).

Delerium Hazards

When a creature touches delerium without protective gear for the first time on their turn, or ends their turn in bodily contact with delerium, they must make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or take 1d6 necrotic damage and gain 1 Contamination Level (see contamination).

Delerium Harvesting

Delerium found in Drakkenheim is usually fused into the ground or stone buildings, and may be carefully extracted using handheld mining equipment such as shovels, picks, hammers, and chisels. Consult the table to determine how long it takes characters to harvest delerium deposits of various sizes. Lacking proper equipment, extraction takes ten times as long. Massive clusters are impossible to extract without heavy equipment or powerful magic.

Uses for Delerium

Delerium has vast arcane potential. Beyond trade, delerium crystals are used for several purposes:

Spell Component. Delerium may be used as an arcane focus or material component for any spell on the apothecary, sorcerer, warlock, or wizard spell list. When casting a spell which requires a costly material component, a spellcaster may instead use delerium of equivalent value to the required cost.

Magic Items. Delerium is an exceptional material for creating magical items of all kinds. Any magic item described in the Core Rules could be made with delerium. Fragments, shards, crystals, and geodes may be used to make uncommon, rare, very rare, and legendary items respectively. At the GM’s discretion, characters who can cast 5th-level spells or higher may learn techniques to craft magic items of their own during their downtime.

Stable Delerium. The process for crafting magic items with delerium renders the crystals stable. Unless otherwise specified, characters do not take damage nor risk contamination when they touch or handle stable delerium. Stable delerium is damaged and destroyed in the same manner as a normal magic item of its kind.

Delerium Dust. Delerium dust is made by grinding the crystals against one another to create a fine powder. This milling process is extraordinarily hazardous unless performed within an antimagic field. Delerium dust can be used in alchemy, as a spell component, a reagent for brewing potions, or mixed into inks for spell scrolls.

Improvised Weapons and Ammunition. Delerium fragments may be used as ammunition for a sling or fashioned into a makeshift club. Such weapons and ammunition deal an extra 1d6 necrotic damage, and humanoid creatures struck must make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or gain one Contamination Level. Delerium used as ammunition in this way is destroyed.