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  1. Wetland Echoes
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Seasonality

Seasonal Context & Phenology

(Charles’s Ledger: Environmental Constant-01 / "The Rhythms of the Rot")

Summer: The High Stagnation (June–August)

  • The Math: 120°F to 140°F. Extreme heat fractures depth perception; the Prism Sky creates double-mirage layers.

  • The Hazard: The Fungal Mat. As water retreats, tar-like pits form, exhaling a cloying scent that hides decay. Sound carries poorly; the air density "bends" acoustics, meaning you hear threats late.

  • Charles’s Note: "Travel at dawn. Avoid the mud edges. If you smell sweetness, you're standing on a grave. Two, three, five, seven... the heat is a liar."

Fall: The Wind Dominance (September–October)

  • The Math: 70°F to 110°F. The marsh hardens, losing its "water memory."

  • The Hazard: Dust Drifts. Wind-blown spore matter causes "Silt-Cough" (lung infections, cognitive lag). Flora like Echo Reeds turn into brittle amber glass; every step is a loud, hollow knock.

  • Charles’s Note: "This is the loudest quiet of the year. The ground is brittle, and every mistake is amplified. Mask up or the spores will do the math on your lungs."

Winter: The Arctic Lockdown (November–March)

  • The Math: 10°F to -40°F. The marsh freezes solid up to 10 inches deep. "Water stops speaking."

  • The Hazard: Frost Glare. Snow hides rusted machinery and predator burrows. The Acoustic Dead Zone of the Shiver Wing expands, making the air feel unnaturally empty of sound.

  • Charles’s Note: "Test the ice. Assume every drift hides a jagged piece of the Ages Past. The Ghost Hog is invisible here. The math is frozen, but it still bites."

Spring: The Monsoon Surge (April–May)

  • The Math: 30°F to 70°F. "Rain does not fall; it feeds."

  • The Hazard: Slick Soil. Rapid expansion of the marsh makes yesterday’s maps useless. Suction mud traps the unwary. Peak migration for predators following the "amphibian pulses" of Metronome Frogs.

  • Charles’s Note: "Elevation matters more than speed. If you're on the flats, you're sinking. It’s the season of growth, but the growth is hungry. Two, three, five, seven... watch the rising tide."

F&F Stats (Mechanical Utility)

  • Summer - Stagnation Sickness: Creatures traveling during the day must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution save or suffer one level of Exhaustion. Perception checks relying on sight are made with Disadvantage due to heat shimmer.

  • Fall - Spore Inhalation: Without a mask or Star-Stitch filter, characters must make a DC 13 Constitution save every 4 hours or suffer Reduced Stamina (Disadvantage on Strength and Dexterity checks).

  • Winter - Frozen Tension: Movement on frozen marsh requires a DC 12 Acrobatics check to avoid falling prone. The Ghost Hog gains Total Concealment while stationary in frost glare.

  • Spring - Suction Mud: Patches of "Slick Soil" require a DC 14 Strength (Athletics) check to escape if a character ends their turn in the mud. Tracking is easier (Advantage on Survival), but trails vanish after 1 hour of rain.