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  1. HYPERBOREA (orig by C. A. Smith) [R18+]
  2. Lore

# B. SPECIAL NATURAL EVENTS

@< EVENT > HEATSTROKE [Uncommon]

Conditions: Summer only.

  • Mechanics: Unless magically protected, random party NPC member must pass a Constitution check DC15 or suffer $1d10$ damage.

  • Unconsciousness: On damage, make a Constitution check DC15 or fall unconscious for $1$ hour per point of damage.

  • Dehydration: While unconscious, take an additional $1d10$ damage per hour unless given water/care.

@< EVENT > HEAVY BLIZZARD [Rare]

Conditions: Winter only.

  • Intensity: $3d10+10$ inches of snow in $3d4$ hours.

  • Vision/Move: Reduced to $1/8$ normal.

  • Navigation: Parties with a [Ranger] have a $5$-in-$6$ chance of getting lost; others are Automatically Lost.

  • Restrictions: Tracking impossible; Climbing is suicidal (automatic fall).

@< EVENT > HERMIT [Uncommon]

  • Disposition: Grudging; hates company.

  • Stat: $25\%$ chance of a classed NPC; $25\%$ chance of insanity.

  • Benefit: Good reaction rolls may provide valuable local information.

@< EVENT > HUNTING PARTY [Uncommon]

  • Composition: $5d4$ [Shortbowmen] (Warrior Level 1) led by a Level 5 leader and $3d6$ Hunting/ Sled Dog.

  • Magic Support: $10\%$ chance of a [Shaman], [Druid], or [Cleric].

  • Behaviour: Will challenge intruders on poor reaction rolls.

@< EVENT > HURRICANE [Rare]

Conditions: Does not apply in Winter.

  • Precipitation: $3d4$ inches of rain in $1d12$ hours.

  • On Land: * Damage: $1d10$ from debris every hour (Dexterity Save DC15 to negate).

    • Vision/Move: $1/8$ normal.

    • Navigation: Same as Heavy Blizzard (Automatic loss without Ranger).

  • At Sea: $10\%$ chance of sinking. Ship takes $1d6$ hull damage/hour. Ships automatically become lost and end up Becalmed.

@< EVENT > ICEBERG [Rare]

Conditions: Winter only; At Sea.

  • Collision: If surprised, $25\%$ chance to strike for $7d4$ hull damage.

  • Speed: Forced to move at $1/4$ rate for $1d10$ days. Exceeding this triggers daily $25\%$ collision checks.

Insect Swarm [Uncommon]

Conditions: Does not apply in Winter.

  • Effect: $100$-yard cloud acting as an Insect Plague spell. Departs in $1d6$ turns if not dispersed.

@< EVENT > IXIAN SLAVERS [Rare]

Conditions: At Sea.

  • Crew: Level $1d6+6$ [[Ixian Necromancer]] with $1d4+1$ doses of [ @Dust of Paralysis ].

  • Minions: Either $2d4+10$ [Light Infantry] or [[@Zombie (Living Dead) ]].

  • Cargo: $1d10 \times 10$ shackled slaves below decks.

@< EVENT > LAVA ERUPTION [Rare]

  • Area: $1d20$ miles diameter for $1d12$ hours.

  • Hazards: $10\%$ chance per hour a PC is targeted by a lava ball (exactly as a Fireball spell of $2d4$ level).

  • Aftermath: Vapors act as a Smoke Cloud for $2d4$ days.

@< EVENT > LIGHTS IN THE SKY [Rare]

  • Duration: $1d3$ turns of dancing lights.

  • Trigger: $50\%$ chance of an immediate random encounter with an[[ABBERATION]], or [[FIEND]].

@< EVENT > LUNAR ECLIPSE [Rare]

Conditions: Night hours only.

  • Duration: $1d3$ hours.

  • Buff: All [Magicians] gain $+2$ Caster Level for spell effects/ saves/ durations.

@< EVENT > MAD WHISPERS [Legendary]

  • Duration: $1d6$ turns.

  • Mechanics: Even @Silence cannot stop them.

  • Sanity Loss: Every turn, pass a Spell Save DC15 or lose $1$ point of INT and WIS.

  • Insanity: If INT/WIS falls below $3$, PC goes violently insane. Permanent insanity check required if temporary insanity was reached. See Lore: 3. Madness (Insanity)

  • Recovery: Points restore at $1$ per turn after whispers end.

  • Trigger: $25\%$ chance of an immediate [[ABBERATION]] encounter afterward.

@< EVENT > METEOR SHOWER [Rare]

  • Significance: A dazzling omen in the sky.

  • Mechanics: The PC with the best Spell Save must roll.

  • Success: All party members gain a Bless spell for 24 hours.

  • Failure: All party members suffer a Blight spell (reverse Bless spell) for 24 hours.

@< EVENT > MIRAGE [Uncommon]

Conditions: Desert only; Does not apply in Winter or at Night.

  • Effect: An oasis appears to move away as PCs approach.

  • Navigation: Referee secretly rolls the chance of getting lost every hour.

  • Vanishing: 25% chance to vanish every hour; always vanishes at sunset.

  • Dehydration/Insanity: If lacking water when it vanishes, PCs must pass a Spell Save DC15 or develop a random insanity.

@< EVENT > MOCKING STAR [Rare]

Conditions: Night hours only.

  • Effect: One random PC/NPC party member feels a star is leering at them.

  • Mechanics: Must pass a Spell Save DC15 or lose $1$ point each of INT and WIS for 12 hours.

@< EVENT > OASIS [Uncommon]

Conditions: Desert only.

  • Taint: 25% chance the water is undrinkable (Salt or Poison).

  • Poison: Drinking tainted water requires a Constitution (Poison) DC13 Save or suffer a Level $1d5$ ingestible poison.

  • Fauna: 50% chance that random animals are present at safe water sources.

@< EVENT > PLAGUE [Rare]

  • Mechanics: Pass a Constitution Check or contract a leprosy condition (effects of [[Mummy Rot]]).

  • Urban Centre: In settlements, PCs must save every day. $2d20$ bodies are burned daily.

  • Duration: Settlement remains dangerous for $8d4$ days. Highly contagious.

@< EVENT > PLANETARY ALIGNMENT [Rare]

Conditions: Multiple planets in conjunction with Saturn.

  • Duration: $1d3$ hours.

  • Buff: All [Spell casters] are at $+3$ Caster Level for spell effects/ durations.

@< EVENT > POISON GAS [Uncommon]

  • Area: $30$-foot diameter reeking cloud centred on PCs.

  • Effect: 75% chance of a Stinking Cloud spell; 25% chance of a Cloudkill spell.

  • Duration: Dissipates in $1d10$ rounds.

@< EVENT > PROSPECTOR [Uncommon]

  • Stat: 25% chance of a classed NPC. Non-hostile unless attacked.

  • Loot: 25% chance of a treasure map ($50\%$ chance the map is fake/work of a madman).

@< EVENT > QUICKSAND [Uncommon]

Conditions: Does not apply in Winter.

  • Area: $10 \times 10$ foot square; $10$ feet deep.

  • Entry: Creature sinks $1d4 + 1$ feet and is Restrained.

  • Turn Start: Creature sinks an additional $1d4$ feet.

  • Solo Escape: Use Action; pass Strength Check ($DC = 10 + \text{feet sunk}$).

  • Assisted Rescue: Rescuer uses Action; pass Strength Check ($DC = 5 + \text{feet sunk}$).

  • Submerged: If sunk $10$ feet, the creature cannot breathe (apply Suffocation rules).

  • Rescue: $1$ round with a rope/pole.

@< EVENT > RED FOG [Rare]

  • Origin: Descends from the stars.

  • Area: $1d6 \times 100$ yards diameter for $6$ rounds.

  • Effect: Identical to an Acid Cloud spell.

@< EVENT > ROCKSLIDE [Uncommon]

Conditions: Does not apply in Winter.

  • Damage: $2d20$ damage (Dexterity Save DC15 for half).

  • Burial: $20+$ damage results in burial and suffocation in $5d4$ rounds.

  • Climbing: Must pass a Strength save DC15 or fall $1d10 \times 10$ feet. Fall is automatic on $20+$ damage.

@< EVENT > RUSSET LOTUS [Uncommon]

Conditions: Does not apply in Fall or Winter.

  • Detection: Same as Golden Lotus (Barbarian/Ranger/Witch/Druid/Shaman/Scout required to spot if not surprised).

@< EVENT > SAND PIT [Uncommon]

  • Effect: Sinkhole $1d6 \times 10$ feet deep opens under a PC.

  • Damage: Falling damage is halved, but the PC cannot climb out without help.

@< EVENT > SANDSTORM [Rare]

  • Area: $1d20$ miles diameter for $4d6$ hours.

  • Vision/Move: $1/8$ normal.

  • Navigation: Automatic loss without a [Ranger].

  • Choking: Unless sheltered/protected mouth, pass an Dexterity Save DC15 every turn or suffer $1d6$ choking damage.

@< EVENT > SEA TURNS TO BLOOD [Rare]

Conditions: At Sea.

  • Area: $5d4$ miles diameter for $1d20$ days.

  • Morale: NPC morale and loyalty is halved.

  • Taint: 10% daily chance fresh water stores turn to blood.

  • Night Terror: 10% nightly chance of encountering a Ghost Ship with $2d4$ [[ @Vampire (Undead Type 11) ]].

@< EVENT > SHINING MIST [Rare]

  • Area: $1d6$ miles diameter for $1d8$ days.

  • Vision: Same as Fog Cloud. Movement halved; loss chance doubled.

  • Encounters: All random encounters are forced to be [[ABBERATION]], or [[FIEND]].

  • Teleportation: 25% chance when leaving to be moved $1d10 \times 10$ miles in a random direction.

@< EVENT > SINKHOLE [Uncommon]

  • Area: $1d6 \times 10$ feet wide; $2d6 \times 10$ feet deep.

  • Mechanics: Pass a Dexterity save DC15 or fall for standard damage.

  • Marsh: Pit fills with water; drowning occurs in $6d6$ rounds.

@< EVENT > SLEET STORM [Common]

Conditions: Does not apply in Summer.

  • Vision/Move: Reduced to $3/4$. Tracking and Climbing halved.

@< EVENT > SMOKY LOTUS [Uncommon]

Conditions: Daylight hours only; Does not apply in Winter.

  • Detection: Same as Golden Lotus (Barbarian/Ranger/Witch/Druid/Shaman/Scout required to spot if not surprised).

@< EVENT > SNOW BLIND [Uncommon]

Conditions: Winter; Daylight hours only.

  • Mechanics: Pass a Constitution save or be blinded for $1d4$ hours.

@< EVENT > SNOWSTORM [Common]

Conditions: Winter only.

  • Intensity: $3d6$ inches of snow in $4d6$ hours.

  • Vision/Move: Reduced to $1/2$. Lost chance increased by $1-in-6$. Tracking/Climbing halved.

@< EVENT > STAR STONE [Rare]

  • Event: Meteorite falls $1d4$ miles away.

  • Value: $1d12 \times 1d10$ thousand GP in major cities.

  • Curse: While held, all random encounters are [[ABBERATION]], or [[FIEND]].

@< EVENT > STATIC ELECTRICITY [Common]

Conditions: Winter only; Glacial terrain.

  • Effect: $6d6$ damage lightning bolt strikes the PC carrying the most metal (Dexterity Save DC15 for half).

  • Secondary Trigger: 25% chance of an Aurora appearing $1d20$ minutes later.

@< EVENT > STELLAR CONJUNCTION [Rare]

  • Duration: $1d3$ hours.

  • Buff: All [Spell Casters] gain $+1$ Caster Level.

@< EVENT > THE STARS ARE RIGHT [Legendary]

Significance: Monumental Occult Event.

  • Duration: $1d20$ days.

  • Buff: Evil [Spell Casters] only have their Caster Level doubled for spell effects and duration.

  • Undead/Daemons: Cannot be Turned.

  • Encounters: All random encounters must be [[ABBERATION]], or [[FIEND]].

  • Referee Note: Potential for world-changing events (e.g., Kthulhu rising).

@< EVENT > THIN ICE [Rare]

Conditions: Does not apply in Winter.

  • Effect: Random PC falls through ice into a $1d6 \times 10$ foot deep hole (Standard fall damage).

  • Escape: Climbing chance is halved due to icy walls.

@< EVENT > THUNDERSTORM [Common]

Conditions: Does not apply in Winter.

  • Precipitation: $1d8$ inches of rain in $1d4$ hours.

  • Penalties: Vision/Move/Track/Climb all halved. Lost chance increased by $1-in-6$.

  • Equipment: Non-magical bows are unusable.

  • Hazard: If not sheltered, 10% chance per turn a $6d6$ damage lightning bolt strikes the PC with the most metal (Dexterity Save DC15 for half).

  • Secondary Trigger: 25% chance of a Flash Flood in Hill, Desert, Mountain, River, or Lake terrain.