Rags of the Mongrel

Wondrous item, legendary (requires attunement by a warlock)

Unidentifiable. When the rags are the target of an identify spell, the only information gained is the storied origin of the rags.

Cursed. The rags are cursed, a fact that is not revealed by identify. Donning the rags curses the wearer, which can then only be removed by a greater restoration spell or stronger magic; remove curse or similar magic is not strong enough to break the curse. While cursed, whenever you complete a long rest, you must make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw to determine if you are able to progress the attunement process.

A successful saving throw inches you closer to attunement, but otherwise has no effect by itself. On your third success, you fully attune to the rags. On your first failure, you must roll on the Fleeting Insanity table. On your second failure, you must roll on the Prolonged Insanity table. On your third failure, you must roll on the Permanently Insane table and you don’t attune to the rags. The successes and failures don’t need to be consecutive; keep track of both until you collect three of a kind. Upon failing to attune to the rags, you can begin the process again only after you complete your next long rest.

While you wear the rags and are attuned to them, you gain darkvision out to 120 feet, have advantage on all skill checks, and can cast the dark dimension spell once per day without expending a spell slot.

Sentience. A sentient, neutral evil soul exists inside the rags. It has Intelligence 16, a Wisdom 13, and a Charisma 19. It has hearing and darkvision out to a range of 120 feet. The soul can speak, read, and understand Common, and can communicate with its wearer telepathically. Its voice is low and whispered. While you are attuned to it, the soul also understands every language you know.

Personality. The soul within speaks with a raspy tone, often choosing to infest its wearer’s thoughts while sleeping, causing their dreams to be plagued by dark thoughts. The ultimate goal the soul is to be set free from its imprisonment within the rags.

Sanity and the Void

The Void pulls at your sanity every waking moment you remain this this accursed place, devoid of empathy or emotion.

Fleeting Insanity

d%	Effect (lasts 1 minute)
1-15	The character hears shrieking noises from all directions, they are frightened by the sound.
16-25	The character sees otherworldly delights before their eyes and has disadvantage on ability check and attack rolls as it tries to sort out real from hallucination.
26-30	The character starts speaking in a language no one has ever heard before. For the duration, it is unable to cast any spells that require a verbal component and no one can understand what it is saying. The comprehend languages spell has no effect.
31-35	The character follows the first command it hears each round, as long as that command doesn’t lead to self harm.
36-45	The character uses its action to stare at a single spot for the duration and has no memory of what transpired during that time.
46-50	The character attempts to convince everyone around them of a major conspiracy, that only it knows. For the duration, it has disadvantage on Charisma checks as it babbles about otherworldly plots.
51-55	The character grows incredibly hungry, consuming any rations it possesses for the duration.
56-70	The character becomes incapacitated and spends the duration laughing and screaming at the same time.
71-80	The character can no longer discern friend from foe and will attack the nearest creature, regardless of allegiance, each round for the duration.
81-85	The character uses its turns to engage in conversation with people who aren’t there about an event from its past.
86-95	The character thinks it is a random animal and spends the duration making sounds and acting like that animal.
96-100	The character falls unconscious and can’t be roused.

Insanity in the Void

While the Void is an abstract idea open to interpretation, the following tables can be used should adventures take your players to a different realm, possibly one of cold nothingness, or shadow, or a deep abyss. Depending on the amount of emphasis you want to place on this setting, you can have your players roll on the Impending Insanity table frequently (every 10 minutes) or infrequently (after completing a long rest).

Their roll could result in them rolling on an additional Insanity table to determine the outcome or a prolonged stay in the Void.

Insanity rules are meant to supplement other rules that cause adventurers to lose their wits, such as madness, meaning they can be used in conjunction.

Curing Insanity

Unlike madness, insanity is caused by prolonged exposure to an environment. Simple magic, such as the calm emotions or lesser restoration spells have no effect. A greater restoration spell or more powerful magic is required to rid a character suffering from any type of insanity.

Impending Insanity

d10	Effect
1-4	No Effect
5-7	Roll on the Fleeting Insanity table
8-9	Roll on the Prolonged Insanity table
10	Roll on the Permanently Insane table Prolonged Insanity

d%	Effect (lasts 1 hours)
1-15	The character is afraid of one type of enemy (GM’s choice) for the duration. Anytime it sees that enemy, it becomes frightened for 1d4 rounds.
16-25	The character sees otherworldly horrors before their eyes and has disadvantage on saving throws as it tries to sort out the real from hallucination.
26-30	The character feels a compulsion to eat a pound of dirt. It looks like the most appetizing thing ever seen. Once it finishes, it must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned for the duration.
31-35	The character believes that shadows are living creatures and they all share an unconditional love for one another.
36-45	The character forgets how to breathe. For the duration, it must use its bonus action each round to breathe in and out. Should it use a bonus action for something else, it must succeed on a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw or forget to breath and become incapacitated until the end of its next turn.
46-50	The character feels compelled to drink alcohol. If it consumes any, the character suffers a -2 penalty to its Dexterity score. If the character takes the attack action on its turn, it must first succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or become violently ill and vomit on the nearest creature instead.
51-55	The character suffers from temporary memory loss. At the start of each round of combat, it must succeed on a DC 10 Intelligence saving throw or forget what it was doing and take no action during that round.
56-70	The character becomes addicted to gambling for the duration. It will bet on anything and everything, even gambling away prized possessions.
71-80	The character becomes extremely paranoid about everyone, including friends. It will only eat or drink items it has prepared itself.
81-85	The character believes it can fly. It must succeed on a DC 12 Wisdom check or use its action flapping its arms that round.
86-95	The character becomes emotionally confused. For the duration, what would normally make it angry makes it laugh, and what would normally make it happy makes it furious.
96-100	The character believes that all magic is blasphemous. For the duration, it will use its turn to attack a creature it sees cast a spell.

Permanently Insane

d%	Flaw (lasts until cured)
1-15	“I am only alive when I cause others pain.”
16-25	“I will sacrifice anyone to save myself.”
26-30	“There is no one smarter than me, even if they appear to be.”
31-35	“I am destined to rule; anyone that tells me otherwise is my enemy. “
36-45	“I believe I have a bond with a member of my group. I attempt to finish their sentences, but always get the ending wrong.”
46-50	“I become a belligerent drunk when I drink too much water.”
51-55	“I am convinced some dark entity replaced one of my limbs. I don’t trust the limb and keep an eye on it at all times. I swear it talks to me and doesn’t like me.”
56-70	“I have a recurring dream that I am a unicorn. This dream is fairly nice, except it causes me to speak in neighs for the first 1d4 hours after a long rest.”
71-80	“I believe I am psychic and like to predict people’s futures, which always involve a tall, dark stranger, regardless of whether they are going to meet one, or be killed by one. I am almost never right.”
81-85	“I have gained a taste for something not normally eaten.”
86-95	“I have a ritual I must perform every day.”
96-100	“I believe I have gained an ability called ‘Blast of Fate’ which smites my foes with holy power. Once per day as an action, I use this ability at the first available opportunity. In my mind’s eye, a great wash of holy energy sweeps the battlefield, smiting my enemies. In reality, I wave my hands around like a fool, shouting gibberish, while my enemies look confused.”