Desecrated ground was land that had been tainted by unholy rites, prolonged evil, or the presence of dark powers. It often marked the site of atrocities, forbidden rituals, or the death of a saint at the hands of the profane. Necromancers, cultists, and other malign forces could deliberately desecrate a place, severing it from divine influence and inviting the presence of the Undead or Fiends. In such places, healing faltered, Curses clung to the air, and divine spells were harder to wield.
Unlike natural decay or ruin, desecration was deliberate. Blood soaked into altar stones, graveyards turned restless, and sanctuaries blackened with soot or unfamiliar symbols. Even after the culprits had fled or died, the spiritual damage lingered. Creatures of darkness moved more freely there, and once-buried corpses could rise without a necromancer’s call. Travelers who wandered through such ground often reported nightmares, illness, or the sense of being watched.
To Consecrate already-desecrated ground required more than a simple prayer. It often demanded a ritual of purification, performed at great cost and risk. Holy Water, related relics of divine power, and the aid of a powerful Cleric, Theurge, or Paladinwere typically needed. In some cases, the desecration could not be undone until the cause of the corruption was destroyed, whether it was a buried idol, a slumbering evil, or a long-unavenged spirit.