The recent Dungeons & Dragons book Tasha's Cauldron of Everything has seven Supernatural Regions a DM can use to implement fantastical challenges to any locale. These regions do not prosper as nature intended, as they are permeated by extraordinary forces.
Supernatural regions can be as small or large as a DM desires, and effects of these realms can occur as players traverse a preternatural region or even by engaging in common practices like resting in a sketchy place.
A brief description and example triggers for each of the seven Supernatural areas are provided below, along with some sample consequences that can result from them in Tasha's Cauldron of Everything.
Blessed Radiance in Tasha's Cauldron Of Everything
The Blessed Radiance region is touched by the grace of the Upper Planes. A player scoring a critical hit on an undead creature could trigger this region, or if a character experiences an epiphany of righteousness, for example. Effects of the Blessed Radiance region vary, but can include a character being able to hear songs from celestial beings, allowing them to ask those voices a question via the Commune spell. It could also allow an Aberration or Fiend to have disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks for a duration.
Far Realm in Tasha's Cauldron Of Everything
Entities that travel beyond the Outer Planes could end up in Dungeons & Dragons' Far Realm where they mutate into abominations or alien shapes by the realm's uncanny forces. A trigger for breaching the Far Realm could be reading an eldritch tome written by those who have seen or interacted with this deleterious region. As a result, the landscape could liquify into a mass of writhing flesh, teeth, and eyes that give rise to Gibbering Mouthers who will attack anyone on site. Additionally, distance may no longer make sense, giving creatures with ranged attacks a disadvantage on the roll, and halving the attack damage.
Haunted in Tasha's Cauldron Of Everything
Sites of massacres and homes encumbered by dark deeds make for a good Haunted area in D&D. They seethe with past reverberations and could be accessed when a creature is frightened or alone, among other triggers. Consequences can look like a random creature's shadow acting independently of its owner, perhaps trying to strangle another's shadow. A random creature could also be targeted by the Levitate spell, or a Ghost may appear and haunt a random D&D party member for the remainder of the day.
Infested in Tasha's Cauldron Of Everything
Insects may overrun an entire region due to magic or interbreeding with otherworldly species. Effects from infested regions can occur after agitating webs, hives, or other insect dwellings, or even after a short or long rest in D&D. The outcome could look like an intense buzzing clogging the region, limiting a creature's hearing past 10 feet. Another repercussion could be making a random creature perform a DC 16 Constitution saving throw, contracting a disease upon failing.
Mirror Zone in Tasha's Cauldron Of Everything
Mirror Zones occur when the material and magical energies coincide, creating an environment of reflections. This could be due to a mirror breaking or when a creature impersonates another. Mirror Zone outcomes include a character gaining the benefit of the Mirror Image spell or a creature's duplicate could appear, immediately attacking its counterpart.
Psychic Resonance in Tasha's Cauldron Of Everything
The combination of strong emotions and magic can have psionic effects on D&D creatures and objects, creating an area of psychic resonance. This can happen if a creature participates in telepathic communication or undergoes a powerful emotional experience. Reactions include a creature's thoughts attracting psychic energy, which could form protective fields around the party's minds, gaining resistance to psychic damage for a duration. A more menacing consequence could be suffering from incoherent thoughts - making it difficult to concentrate and giving disadvantage on Intelligence checks and Constitution saving throws to maintain spell concentration.
Unraveling Magic in Tasha's Cauldron Of Everything
In areas of unraveling magic, magic sources may be corrupted, something which causes strange and unpredictable results when magic is used. An appropriate trigger could be when a spell slot or a magic D&D item's charges are expended, causing all other magic items to lose their enchanted properties for a duration. Conversely, a player's nonmagical weapon could suddenly crepitate with power, becoming magical and granting a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with it. These Supernatural regions and effects are sure to enhance and challenge a group's Dungeons & Dragons campaign.
Source: Images from Tasha's Cauldron of Everything
