Addiction
Additction is in this article a DnD 5e mechanic. It is closely related to poisons and diseases.
Dream Pie
When you have Dream Pie the first time, it's really tasty and surprisingly filling and satisfying, alleviating your need to eat for the day. You feel ever so slightly drowsy and think you would greatly benefit from a short nap.
If you have a Short Rest within 2 hours of having a Dream Pie that includes at least a 15 min nap, the wonderful dreams it produce for you restores 1d8 + LVL of HP and provides Dream Inspiration.
When you wake up from a Long Rest, you feel a longing back to the dreams, but their vivid nature does give you Dream Inspiration (unless you're too addicted) and if you would suffer Barovian Sleep, you now don't instead.
Dream Inspiration works just like regular Inspiration with the difference that if you use it, already had Inspiration before receiving it, or you gain Inspiration from another source while having it, you gain 1d8 temporary HP. If so "replaced" still retain Dream Inspiration instead of regular Inspiration.
If addiction prevented HP gain during a Long Rest, a pie serving and a 15 min nap restore any such HP prevented in addition to the normal effects.
If you have an addiction or ate pie in the day, during the next Long Rest secretly roll a Con save DC 12 + AP:
- If you had pie, succeed to avoid increasing Addiction Level by 1
- If you did NOT have pie, succeed to decrease AL by 1
- If you had 3 or more servings, the DC goes up by 1 for every serving beyond 2.
If you have gone 5 whole days without eating pie, you lose the addiction through cold turkey. Your Addiction Level is reduced by 5 (to a minimum of 3) and becomes dormant, but will activate should you ever eat Dream Pies again. If you do have Dream Pie again, your Con save DC will be at least DC15, maybe higher.
Dream Pie Addiction Levels
Addiction affects different depending on Addiction Level. This is the effect on waking the day after if you have any Addiction Level when starting the Long Rest.
- Addiction Level 1-3
- Had pie: You feel a longing back to the dreams, but their vivid nature does gives you Dream Inspiration.
- Not had pie: You have been disturbed by nightmares (fairly normal).
- Addiction Level 4-6
- Had pie: You feel strong a longing back to the dreams but you do gain Dream Inspiration.
- Not had pie: You have been wracked with absolutely horrid nightmares; your HP isn't restored, only HD.
- Addiction Level 7-9
- Had pie: You feel an incredibly strong longing back to the dreams and you don't get Dream Inspiration.
- Until you have your next pie, you lose 1/10 of current HP per hour (to a minimum of 1 hp).
- If you have pie, the effects are paused but resume after 2d8 hours or after next long rest.
- Not had pie: You had your sleep absolutely ruined with abhorrent nightmares; your HP isn't restored, only half your HDs (round up), and you have disadvantage to all skill checks and saves until you indulge. You are also affected by the "had pie" condition.
- Had pie: You feel an incredibly strong longing back to the dreams and you don't get Dream Inspiration.
- Addiction Level 10+
- Had pie: You are utterly compelled to consume more pie. You lose double the HP than the lower Addiction Level and are affected by the "not had pie" of that level.
- If you get under 1/4 HP you must make a Wisdom save, DC 10 + 1/2 AL, every hour or start acting as if affected by the Suggestion spell with the command: "Do whatever it takes to acquire and eat a pie, including selling children". The goal is pie, you are not necessarily reckless.
- Not had pie: You had indescribable nightmares and you wake up having lost 3/4 of your maximum HP (retaining at least 1).
- Additionally: Suffer the same effects as "had pie".
- Had pie: You are utterly compelled to consume more pie. You lose double the HP than the lower Addiction Level and are affected by the "not had pie" of that level.
Design notes
The design is different than MandyMods in many ways. First it's inspired by Pathfinder 2e's beautifully designed affliction "engine" but it's also designed to not be obviously problematic until far into addiction. In fact, addiction itself isn't meant to be the big deal, rather the fact that it alleviates the regular nightmares everyone in Barovia suffers, and then, slowly, creep up to overtake people's lives up to the unthinkable point that they are willing to sell their own children to satiate their needs. I don't want to FORCE the use of pies, I want to ENCOURAGE it.
The mind fuck comes at a later date anyways.
References