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Planar Escalation System

Overview

The Planar Escalation Die represents the progressive unraveling of reality within Refraction Keep. As the party makes mistakes, forces solutions, or triggers anomalies, the veil between planes grows thinner and more unstable.

Die Progression

Escalation Tiers

1d4 → 1d6 → 1d8 → 1d10 → 1d12 → 1d20

When to Escalate

  • Puzzle failure: +1 step
  • Forcing through illusions: +1 step
  • Ignoring Void's warnings: +1 step (DM discretion)
  • Unchecked anomaly encounter: +1-2 steps
  • Reality distortion events: +1 step
  • Combat in unstable chambers: +1 step

Rolling the Escalation Die

When to Roll

  • At initiative start during combat
  • After major puzzle interactions
  • During environmental transitions
  • When players trigger specific room events
  • Approximately 2-3 times per session

Results Table

Roll Effect Description
1 Echo Lull Calm moment - advantage on next Insight/Perception
2 Reflection Warp Next illusion becomes semi-permanent
3 Planar Pulse PCs see overlaid plane; next spell altered
4 Ambient Surge Disadvantage on Concentration (10 min)
5 Room Remap Previously mapped room shifts layout
6 Voxflash Void gives warning or future foreshadowing
7 Memory Unravel One PC gains false memory (WIS save DC 15)
8+ Anomaly Breach Roll on Wandering Anomalies table

Escalation Effects by Tier

Tier 1 (1d4) - Stable

  • Minor environmental shifts
  • Occasional whispers or echoes
  • Illusions remain predictable
  • Void responds normally

Tier 2 (1d6) - Unstable

  • Mirror reflections lag slightly
  • Room acoustics become strange
  • Puzzle mechanics begin to drift
  • Void's voice occasionally glitches

Tier 3 (1d8) - Fractured

  • Walls show glimpses of other planes
  • Multiple valid puzzle solutions appear
  • Time feels inconsistent
  • Void experiences memory fragments

Tier 4 (1d10) - Critical

  • Reality openly contradicts itself
  • Rooms may loop or branch impossibly
  • Past decisions seem to change
  • Void begins speaking of lost crew

Tier 5 (1d12) - Mythic Instability

  • Multiple timelines become visible
  • Players may encounter alternate selves
  • Void's personality fluctuates wildly
  • Keep structure becomes non-Euclidean

Tier 6 (1d20) - Reality Collapse

  • Crisis State: Immediate action required
  • Chromacube must be recovered within 3 rounds
  • All illusions become real simultaneously
  • Void may fragment into multiple personalities

Resetting Escalation

Natural Resets

  • Long rest in stabilized chamber: -1 step
  • Chromacube activation: Reset to 1d4
  • Successful puzzle completion: No escalation for next roll
  • Void memory restoration: -1 step

Forced Stabilization

  • Dispel magic on room-scale effects: Temporary pause (1 hour)
  • Wish spell: Reset to 1d4 (if available)
  • Planar ally intervention: DM discretion
  • Perfect puzzle solution: Prevent next escalation increase

DM Tools and Tips

Escalation Tracking

  • Use a visible die on your screen/table
  • Announce tier changes to maintain tension
  • Describe environmental shifts with each escalation

Pacing Control

  • Skip escalation rolls during pure RP moments
  • Double escalation for dramatically appropriate moments
  • Allow player actions to influence escalation direction

Player Communication

  • Let players know escalation exists without revealing mechanics
  • Use Void's reactions to signal escalation state
  • Reward attempts to stabilize reality

Narrative Integration

  • Tie escalation effects to character fears/backstories
  • Use escalation to foreshadow future story elements
  • Make high escalation feel cosmic and significant

Advanced Options

Escalation Specialization

Different rooms could have unique escalation effects:

  • Mirror rooms: Reflection-based anomalies
  • Sound chambers: Auditory distortions
  • Memory vaults: Temporal echoes

Character-Specific Escalation

Players with strong connections to Void or the Chromacube might experience unique escalation effects.

Escalation Recovery Mechanics

Allow players to develop strategies for managing escalation through play, such as:

  • Meditation techniques (Insight checks)
  • Void communication protocols
  • Reality anchor rituals

The escalation system should enhance tension and narrative stakes without becoming punitive. Adjust frequency and severity based on your table's engagement level.