Let's capitalize the "The."
I'll get started on That!
I like your revisions for the Death Cloud and Inky Doom. Let's go with your second option in the blue text. I'm also ok with making the secondary damage for the Death Cloud (treating it as a poison) death, as long as we also make it a death effect that can be warded off by appropriate magic.
Making it a Death Effect is a good idea.
As for curing Inky Doom, borrow this from Mummy Rot?
"A character attempting to cast any conjuration (healing) spell on a creature afflicted with Inky Doom must succeed on a DC X caster level check, or the spell has no effect on the afflicted character.
To eliminate Inky Doom, the curse must first be broken with break enchantment or remove curse (requiring a DC X caster level check for either spell), after which a caster level check is no longer necessary to cast healing spells on the victim, and the Inky Doom can be magically cured as any normal disease."
Yes, that's pretty much what I was thinking of doing. We'll need to decide on a DC for the caster level checks but the rest is pretty straightforward. Well, I suppose
death ward might be able to eliminate inky doom as well if it's a magical death effect too. I guess we could require a CL check to block the "or die" bit then?
Revision:
Death Cloud (Su): Once every 1d4+1 rounds, The Kraken can squirt a cloud of jet-black ink over a 120-ft. spread as a swift action. The cloud provides total concealment (creatures within the cloud are considered to be in darkness) and is charged with supernatural venom. The first time a living creature contacts this venomous ink they must succeed at a DC 37 Fortitude save or take 3d6 Constitution damage and contract Inky Doom (see below). One minute after contact, the creature must succeed at a second DC 37 Fortitude save or die, although this can be resisted by abilities that protect against magical death effects such as
death ward [
(requiring a successful DC ## caster level check to prevent death)]. Death cloud ink loses its harmful effects 1d4+1 rounds after being emitted by The Kraken.
Inky Doom (Su): Supernatural disease—contact, Fortitude DC 37, incubation period 1 day; damage 1 Con drain.
Unlike normal diseases, inky doom continues until the victim reaches Constitution 0 (and dies) or is cured as described below.
A death cloud is a powerful curse, not a natural disease or poison. A character attempting to cast any conjuration (healing) spell on a creature afflicted by inky doom must succeed on a DC [
20 like a Mummy or increase to 25 or 30?] caster level check, or the spell has no effect on the afflicted character.
To eliminate inky doom, the curse must first be broken with
break enchantment, [
death ward?] or
remove curse (requiring a DC [
20, 25 or 30?] caster level check for the spell), after which a caster level check is no longer necessary to cast healing spells on the victim, and the inky doom can be magically cured as any normal disease.
An afflicted creature who dies of inky doom melts into black slime that evaporates into nothing at the first breeze.
The save DCs are Charisma-based.