The following SPECIAL NATURAL < EVENTS > pages provided serves as a vital tool for injecting the unique, often sometimes brutal, atmosphere of Hyperborea into the campaign. These are typically random encounters, events and hazards —not necessarily plot-critical events, but atmospheric world-building moments meant to occur any time really, when you think about it!.
To use them effectively, they should be incorporated into random encounter rolls and especially when the party is traveling between major locations, pausing in the wilderness, or entering a new, unexplored areas. Random encounter results should be interpreted with flexibility. For example, a result of "WYVERN" doesn't have to be a direct, immediate fight; it could be the discovery of a freshly-killed mammoth carcass, the sounds of a nearby roar, or a sighting from a distance. Use the encounters to control the pace of the game—injecting an encounter when the pace lags, or rolling at critical times to introduce unexpected pressure. Most importantly, use them to showcase the unique flavour of Hyperborea, be it a forgotten horror, a specific Kimmerian tribe, or a bizarre weather phenomenon, adjusting the difficulty (HP, numbers, etc.) to match the party's current strength (Alternatively remember the players should learn its okay to flee a lot) and the established threat level of the region.
[ENCOUNTER_RARITY_LOGIC]
[Common]: 60% chance. These are the "Natural" background of the world (Rain, Fog, Wind).
[Uncommon]: 30% chance. More dangerous or specific events @< EVENT > EARTHQUAKE, Lotus plants, Animal groups).
[Rare]: 9% chance. Potentially lethal or world-altering events @< EVENT > LAVA ERUPTION or @< EVENT > HURRICANE or @< EVENT > HEAVY BLIZZARD .
[Legendary]: 1% chance. Monumental Occult events @< EVENT > THE STARS ARE RIGHT or @< EVENT > VOICE OF DOOM or @< EVENT > WHITE DEATH ..
Conditions: Night hours under a visible moon only.
Narrative: A sickly beam of pale moonlight tracks a randomly-selected Party Member, even indoors (finding cracks in walls/doors within $1d3$ rounds).
Status Effects: Target cannot sleep, hide in shadows, or move silently.
Mechanics: Target is at Disadvantage and can be attacked at $+2$.
Duration: $7$ hours or until dawn.
Conditions: Does not apply in Winter.
Warning: $1d3$ types of animals (Native to Terrain) flee toward PCs.
Encounter: $3d100 + 200$ voracious ants appear $1d3$ turns later.
Movement: Rate of $20$; they will not cross water or deep chasms.
Combat: Damaged only by area effects (incendiary oil/spells). $1$ ant dies per $1$HP of damage.
Damage: Swarmed PCs suffer damage equal to their Current AC (excluding shield/dex/magic) for every $50$ ants in the swarm per round.
Death: Victim is skeletonized; cannot be raised from the dead.
Area: $1d20$ miles in diameter centred on PCs.
Effect: Immediate damage as a @+Death Smoke Cloud Spell.
Duration: Acts as a @Smoke Cloud Spell for $2d4$ days unless dispersed by strong winds.
Effect: Brilliant red, green, and purple lights fill the sky for $1d6$ hours.
Secondary Trigger: 25% chance of an extra encounter with a random [[ABBERATION]] at the end of the duration.
Conditions: Mountains during Fall and Winter only.
Damage: $2d20$ damage (Dexterity save DC15 for half).
Burial: Suffering $20+$ damage results in burial; suffocation occurs in $5d4$ rounds unless rescued.
Climbing: Must pass a Strength DC15 or fall $1d10 \times 10$ feet. Falling is automatic if taking $20+$ damage or knocked unconscious.
Movement: Moves $2d6 \times 10$ yards in a random direction each round.
Discharge: 10% chance per round to spontaneously disappear (ozone smell).
Targeting: If within $40$ yards, it draws toward the PC with the greatest weight of metal.
Effect: Explodes for $4d6$ lightning damage on contact. Non-magical; Dispel Magic has no effect.
Conditions: On a ship or boat.
Effect: Calm waters/no wind for $2d6$ days.
Note: No other ships will be encountered during this time. Requires oars or magic wind to move.
Conditions: Does not apply in Winter.
Surprised: A random PC stumbles into the lotus and is sprayed.
Not Surprised: * If the party lacks a [Barbarian], [Ranger], [Witch], [Druid], [Shaman], or [Scout], the encounter is ignored.
If the party includes these classes, they spot the lotus and can attempt to harvest or avoid it.
Conditions: Winter only.
Effect: $2d10 + 10$ inches of snow fall over $4d6$ hours.
Penalties: Movement and Sighting distance reduced to $1/4$. Chance of getting lost is doubled.
Restrictions: Tracking is impossible; Climbing is suicidal (automatic fall).
Conditions: Does not apply in Winter.
Effect: $2d4$ inches of rain in $1d6$ hours.
Penalties: Sighting/Movement halved; Tracking/Climbing halved. Chance of getting lost increases by $1-in-6$.
Equipment: Non-magical bows are unusable.
Secondary Trigger: 25% chance of a @< EVENT > FLASH FLOOD if in Desert, River, or Lake terrain.
Duration: $5d4 + 10$ days.
Magic Variance: 50% chance all Sorcerers cast at $+1d4$ levels; otherwise, cast at $-1d4$ levels.
Note: Referee may trigger additional [[ABBERATION]] encounters.
Conditions: Winter only.
Duration: $1d20$ days.
Mechanics: Without magical cold protection, PCs must pass a Constitution check DC15 daily or suffer $1d20$ damage.
Shelter: Secure shelter (deep cave/stone building) or roaring fire prevents damage and @< EVENT > FROSTBITE checks.
Area: $1d10$ miles in diameter centred on PCs for $4d6$ hours.
Effect: No spellcasting, no verbal communication, all creatures are Deaf. Command-word magic items fail.
Madness: Every hour, PCs must make a Wisdom Save DC15 or go stark mad (screaming/running) until sound returns.
Conditions: Does not apply in Winter.
Stats: Size and movement of a [[ @Air Elemental (Class II) ]].
Behaviour: Moves toward party and attacks a random PC for $1d6$ rounds.
Combat: Immune to combat and spells (natural phenomenon). Dissipates after $1d6$ rounds.
Area: $1d10 + 10$ miles; consists of $1d6$ shocks spaced $1d6$ turns apart.
Damage: $2d10$ per shock (Dexterity save DC15 for half damage).
Terrain Specifics:
Hills / Glaciated: @< EVENT > ROCKSLIDE or @< EVENT > AVALANCHE.
Desert / Tundra: Great cracks open (Dexterity save DC12 or fall to doom).
Forest: Fallen trees halve movement; cracks in ground.
Swamp: @< EVENT > POISON GAS release; fallen trees.
River / Lake: @< EVENT > FLASH FLOOD.
Urban: Stone buildings collapse after $3$ shocks.
Mechanic: All party members roll $1d20$.
Effect: High roller receives a @+Bless Spell effect for $12$ hours.
Effect: Random PC contracts a disease (as per bat bite) lasting $2d6$ days.
Cure: Ended by @+Cure Disease Spell. Not contagious.
Conditions: Does not apply in Winter (unless triggered by Earthquake).
Requirement: Always preceded by a @< EVENT > CLOUDBURST.
Duration: Dangerous effects last $1d6$ turns. Waters remain high afterward.
Area: $1d10$ miles diameter for $1d12$ hours.
Effect: Identical to the @+Fog Cloud spell.
Duration: $1d10$ rounds.
Substances: Acid Rain*, Ambrosia, Black Hail*, Blood Rain, Fish, Frogs, Mana Rain, Raw Meat, Spiders*, Stones*, Tongues of Fire*, Worms.
Mechanics (*): Substances marked with an asterisk deal $1d4$ damage per round after the first (Avoidance: seek shelter).
Benefits: * Ambrosia: Acts as full rations + @+Cure Light Wounds spell (Once per day limit).
Mana/Meat/Frogs: Safe to consume. Mana Rain appears as the liquid of a potion of mana and consuming a cup full has the effects of said potion.
Evaporation: Ambrosia/Mana evaporate overnight if stored.
Conditions: Winter only.
Target: Randomly determined PC/NPC party member.
Mechanics: Unless magically protected from cold, must pass a Constitution DC15 or suffer $1d10$ cold damage.
Permanent Injury: On damage, make a Constitution DC15. Failure results in losing fingers or toes ($50\%$ chance of either) equal to the damage rolled.
Conditions: River or Lake only.
Content: A shrivelled corpse and possible treasure hidden amongst withered flowers.
Mechanics: Randomly determined PC must make an Dexterity Save DC15 or suffer $2d10$ damage from scalding water.
Conditions: At Sea.
Description: A derelict carrack with tattered sails and no crew.
Loot: $50\%$ chance of cargo worth $1d6 \times 1000$ GP; otherwise worthless. Treasure hidden in locked/trapped chests.
Conditions: Does not apply in Fall or Winter.
Detection: Only spotted if the party includes a [Barbarian], [Ranger], [Witch], [Druid], [Shaman], or [Scout]. Otherwise, treated as "No Encounter."
Conditions: Does not apply in Winter.
Duration: $5d4$ rounds.
Damage: $1d4$ damage per round after the first (Avoidance: seek shelter).
Conditions: Desert only; Does not apply in Winter.
Build-up: $4d6$ minutes of oppressive heat.
Effect: A silent bolt strikes the PC with the most metal for $6d6$ damage (Dexterity Save DC15 for half).
Conditions: Summer only.
Duration: $1d20$ days.
Penalties: $2\times$ water consumption required. Moving faster than $1/4$ speed triggers @< EVENT > HEATSTROKE.
Termination: Any precipitation ends the wave immediately.