NeoExodus Hostile Environment 2.pdf

LPJ9950

Hostile

Environment 2

Written By Neal Bailey

Requires the use of the Dungeons & Dragons Player's Handbook, Third Edition, published by

Wizards of the Coast, Inc. This product utilizes updated material from the v.3.5 revision.

Hostile

Environment 2

Written By Neal Bailey

Requires the use of the Dungeons & Dragons Player's Handbook, Third Edition, published by

Wizards of the Coast, Inc. This product utilizes updated material from the v.3.5 revision.

Hostile Environment 2

Every world has its wilderness. Some are pleasant, or

relatively plain, or wild and free. NeoExodus is none

of those. The terrain is drenched in ancient magic and

chained by spells long forgotten, forever hungering for

the flesh of the weak. A traveler would be foolish to

ignore the wisdom of his peers in dealing with a land

so deadly, so here we have it: an expanded codex of

terrains and an account of the threat each provides.

Because hey -- you never really know what could be

over that next hill.

Condition

Will Save to Prevent

Fatigued

DC 6

Exhausted

DC 10

Asleep

DC 14

The nature of the hallucination is not necessarily

malevolent, so much as bizarre. Although the indi-

vidual features will vary, all visions caused by an

Aether Worm share a single trait – a ghostly knot of

faint bluish light ( the ‘worm’ ) will be present during

the experience. It is usually about the size of a man,

and floats about listlessly.

Aether Worms

With a world so steeped in arcane power, certain

anomalies eventually arise. Their natures vary

according to the nature of the magic which has

produced them – sometimes these little magical weird-

nesses are helpful, and sometimes they destroy. But

then again, sometimes they’re just weird, and that is

certainly the case with the aether worm.

When trying to rest under a hallucination, a person

recovers hit points as normal, but takes 2 points

of wisdom damage. Any intelligence, wisdom, or

charisma damage taken is not restored during a day

in which an individual is affected by a hallucination.

Removing an aether worm is actually much more

simple than one would expect, it can be dispelled as

if it had a caster level of 8. Also, if it can be detected

and targeted, a casting of glitterdust destroys an aether

worm completely, causing it to evaporate into motes

of light.

Although their exact method of ‘birth’ is unknown,

nine out of ten sages agree that they are magical

scraps left over from powerful illusion spells. The

figments created by illusions sometimes gather some

motive force of their own, especially when subjected

to certain types of metamagic.

Amplifiers

In the wastelands, the silence is staggering. Every

heartbeat is a drum, every breath is a shout, every

footstep a crashing horde. Sometimes, this is a

product of one’s perception – the extreme quiet

bends a person’s mind to more acutely hear even the

slightest changes in their surroundings. Other times,

however, this is the product of the Amplifiers.

Extend spell is the main offender, casting any image

spell that has been subjected to extend spell has a

basic 5% chance of creating an aether worm. When

this happens, a worm will follow the caster and his

group around for up to 2d4 days.

It is also possible to attract aether worms. An

exhausted or sleeping group who enters an area which

contains aether worms has a 5% chance per exhausted

or sleeping character present to draw one towards

them. When this occurs, the worm will follow the

group for 2d4 days, as above.

The origins of these strange stones are a mystery,

although their presence has been well-documented

( instances have been recorded of their use as

weapons! ) Outwardly, they are unremarkable. The

amplifiers have a drab, or even boring appearance;

they simply resemble sandstone with thin, bluish

veins running across their surfaces. Each looks like a

small, squat menhir, not more than three feet tall and

two wide. Although they tend to be squarish, they

don’t appear to have been worked or bear the mark

of any tool. All this adds up to a boring chunk of

rock. The effect of an amplifier, however, is nothing

but mundane. These odd stones seem to multiply the

sounds of everything around them, to the point that

a true cacophony can erupt from even the smallest

noise.

They can’t be rightly said to be alive. But the

worms seem to have a type of will – they seek to

be real, to somehow affect the environment, and are

drawn to interact with intelligent life like moths to a

flame. The worms are invisible in their natural form,

although they can be seen with see invisible and true

seeing.

These anomalies can only influence people subcon-

sciously, generally while they are either heavily

fatigued or asleep. Under these conditions, they

can cause intense hallucinations, which will affect

everyone within about a 50 foot radius of the original

caster or person followed.

But is that what’s really happening? Signs point

to no. With the aid of magic which records vibra-

Page 2

Hostile Environment 2

Every world has its wilderness. Some are pleasant, or

relatively plain, or wild and free. NeoExodus is none

of those. The terrain is drenched in ancient magic and

chained by spells long forgotten, forever hungering for

the flesh of the weak. A traveler would be foolish to

ignore the wisdom of his peers in dealing with a land

so deadly, so here we have it: an expanded codex of

terrains and an account of the threat each provides.

Because hey -- you never really know what could be

over that next hill.

Condition

Will Save to Prevent

Fatigued

DC 6

Exhausted

DC 10

Asleep

DC 14

The nature of the hallucination is not necessarily

malevolent, so much as bizarre. Although the indi-

vidual features will vary, all visions caused by an

Aether Worm share a single trait – a ghostly knot of

faint bluish light ( the ‘worm’ ) will be present during

the experience. It is usually about the size of a man,

and floats about listlessly.

Aether Worms

With a world so steeped in arcane power, certain

anomalies eventually arise. Their natures vary

according to the nature of the magic which has

produced them – sometimes these little magical weird-

nesses are helpful, and sometimes they destroy. But

then again, sometimes they’re just weird, and that is

certainly the case with the aether worm.

When trying to rest under a hallucination, a person

recovers hit points as normal, but takes 2 points

of wisdom damage. Any intelligence, wisdom, or

charisma damage taken is not restored during a day

in which an individual is affected by a hallucination.

Removing an aether worm is actually much more

simple than one would expect, it can be dispelled as

if it had a caster level of 8. Also, if it can be detected

and targeted, a casting of glitterdust destroys an aether

worm completely, causing it to evaporate into motes

of light.

Although their exact method of ‘birth’ is unknown,

nine out of ten sages agree that they are magical

scraps left over from powerful illusion spells. The

figments created by illusions sometimes gather some

motive force of their own, especially when subjected

to certain types of metamagic.

Amplifiers

In the wastelands, the silence is staggering. Every

heartbeat is a drum, every breath is a shout, every

footstep a crashing horde. Sometimes, this is a

product of one’s perception – the extreme quiet

bends a person’s mind to more acutely hear even the

slightest changes in their surroundings. Other times,

however, this is the product of the Amplifiers.

Extend spell is the main offender, casting any image

spell that has been subjected to extend spell has a

basic 5% chance of creating an aether worm. When

this happens, a worm will follow the caster and his

group around for up to 2d4 days.

It is also possible to attract aether worms. An

exhausted or sleeping group who enters an area which

contains aether worms has a 5% chance per exhausted

or sleeping character present to draw one towards

them. When this occurs, the worm will follow the

group for 2d4 days, as above.

The origins of these strange stones are a mystery,

although their presence has been well-documented

( instances have been recorded of their use as

weapons! ) Outwardly, they are unremarkable. The

amplifiers have a drab, or even boring appearance;

they simply resemble sandstone with thin, bluish

veins running across their surfaces. Each looks like a

small, squat menhir, not more than three feet tall and

two wide. Although they tend to be squarish, they

don’t appear to have been worked or bear the mark

of any tool. All this adds up to a boring chunk of

rock. The effect of an amplifier, however, is nothing

but mundane. These odd stones seem to multiply the

sounds of everything around them, to the point that

a true cacophony can erupt from even the smallest

noise.

They can’t be rightly said to be alive. But the

worms seem to have a type of will – they seek to

be real, to somehow affect the environment, and are

drawn to interact with intelligent life like moths to a

flame. The worms are invisible in their natural form,

although they can be seen with see invisible and true

seeing.

These anomalies can only influence people subcon-

sciously, generally while they are either heavily

fatigued or asleep. Under these conditions, they

can cause intense hallucinations, which will affect

everyone within about a 50 foot radius of the original

caster or person followed.

But is that what’s really happening? Signs point

to no. With the aid of magic which records vibra-

Page 2

Hostile Environment 2

tions, it was discovered that the sounds around an

amplifier were actually normal volume. Yet the

perception of these sounds was that they were deaf-

ening - this points to a potent enchantment or mind

affecting power. Attempts to replicate the effect with

magic have been unsuccessful, and as the stones do

not detect as magical, it seems certain that they are

natural.

spiked parapets, and some of the most broken and

dangerous terrain on the planet. Of course not! The

sorcerors simply had to be sure that their defenses

were, well, frightening.

Eventually one archmage or another came upon the

idea of the ash stones. The premise is remarkably

simple. Traditionally, if you have problems with

enemies scaling your walls, you drop boiling oil on

them to burn them off. This tried and true method of

killing annoying invaders has proven quite effective

over the years.

The exact effect of an amplifier varies by the type of

sound a person is experiencing, the number of ampli-

fiers is irrelevant. Consult the following chart to

determine the effects of various noises and spells on

the amplifiers.

Well, the sorceror kings cut out all that labor-inten-

sive oil-boiling, and instead developed walls which

could wreath themselves in magical flame when a

person ( soldier, harmless peasant, nun, whatever )

came within a certain distance of them. Not only did

they achieve their goal of a frightening defense, but in

practice it also looked really cool. Seems simple, on

hindsight.

Sound or stimulus: Small noise ( like soft breathing,

dripping water )

Effect: Distracted, characters take a -1 penalty on all

rolls.

Save DC: Will save to avoid penalty: DC 10

Sound or stimulus: Moderate noise ( regular speech,

brisk wind, pouring water )

Effect: Distracted, characters take a -2 penalty on all

rolls

Save DC: Will save ( DC 12 )

And you know what, it worked. Quite well, in

fact; no armies ever managed to scale even a single

fortress controlled by the sorceror kings. None of

them needed to, because simple destructive magic

made striking down defensive structures quite easy,

even from a distance. And who really needs to scale

a wall, if your troops can fly? After a reasonably

disastrous series of battles, the sorceror kings were

nearly completely destroyed, and their fortresses lay

in ruined heaps scattered across the mountain passes

which they once commanded. Nothing besides

remained.

Sound or stimulus: Loud Noise ( shouting, running

footsteps, raging river )

Effect: Stunned ( as per the condition )

Save DC: Will save ( DC 15 )

Sound or stimulus: Character under a Silence spell

Effect: Stops outside sounds, but causes the wearer’s

thoughts to increase in volume, which results in

shaken status

Save DC: Will save ( DC 18 )

Well, nothing except for the burning enchantment on

what was left of the walls, really little more than black

blocks of basalt blown across the floors of valleys,

scattered by meteor swarms or even move earth.

Sound or stimulus: Casting any sonic damaging spell

Effect: Increases the damage of such a spell by +2 per

die

Save DC: Will Save. It increases the save DCs of

such spells by 3

So what has become of these stones? Many are well-

known to travelers, who know that by staying at a

certain distance, they have an instant campfire. Some

serve as basking rocks for mountain salamanders. The

unaware can still be burnt, of course, but few people

traveling in the region would not spend the time to

scope it out ahead of time ( DC 13 gather information

check ponies up the info ). Of course, since adven-

turers like to adventure, and ‘adventure’ and ‘plan

ahead’ can be almost opposite sometimes, here’s a

damage table to determine how badly the party got

torched by getting close to that rock. Note that the

stone activates 1d4 rounds after a person comes within

15 feet of them; this delay was deliberate on the part

Sound or stimulus: Ventriloquism

Effect: A character who has cast a ventriloquism spell

is immune to the effects of the amplifiers

Save DC: NA

The Ash Stones

The old fortresses of the sorceror kings were a sight

to see. They were not content with an almost impreg-

nable defense consisting of towering basalt walls,

Page 3

Hostile Environment 2

tions, it was discovered that the sounds around an

amplifier were actually normal volume. Yet the

perception of these sounds was that they were deaf-

ening - this points to a potent enchantment or mind

affecting power. Attempts to replicate the effect with

magic have been unsuccessful, and as the stones do

not detect as magical, it seems certain that they are

natural.

spiked parapets, and some of the most broken and

dangerous terrain on the planet. Of course not! The

sorcerors simply had to be sure that their defenses

were, well, frightening.

Eventually one archmage or another came upon the

idea of the ash stones. The premise is remarkably

simple. Traditionally, if you have problems with

enemies scaling your walls, you drop boiling oil on

them to burn them off. This tried and true method of

killing annoying invaders has proven quite effective

over the years.

The exact effect of an amplifier varies by the type of

sound a person is experiencing, the number of ampli-

fiers is irrelevant. Consult the following chart to

determine the effects of various noises and spells on

the amplifiers.

Well, the sorceror kings cut out all that labor-inten-

sive oil-boiling, and instead developed walls which

could wreath themselves in magical flame when a

person ( soldier, harmless peasant, nun, whatever )

came within a certain distance of them. Not only did

they achieve their goal of a frightening defense, but in

practice it also looked really cool. Seems simple, on

hindsight.

Sound or stimulus: Small noise ( like soft breathing,

dripping water )

Effect: Distracted, characters take a -1 penalty on all

rolls.

Save DC: Will save to avoid penalty: DC 10

Sound or stimulus: Moderate noise ( regular speech,

brisk wind, pouring water )

Effect: Distracted, characters take a -2 penalty on all

rolls

Save DC: Will save ( DC 12 )

And you know what, it worked. Quite well, in

fact; no armies ever managed to scale even a single

fortress controlled by the sorceror kings. None of

them needed to, because simple destructive magic

made striking down defensive structures quite easy,

even from a distance. And who really needs to scale

a wall, if your troops can fly? After a reasonably

disastrous series of battles, the sorceror kings were

nearly completely destroyed, and their fortresses lay

in ruined heaps scattered across the mountain passes

which they once commanded. Nothing besides

remained.

Sound or stimulus: Loud Noise ( shouting, running

footsteps, raging river )

Effect: Stunned ( as per the condition )

Save DC: Will save ( DC 15 )

Sound or stimulus: Character under a Silence spell

Effect: Stops outside sounds, but causes the wearer’s

thoughts to increase in volume, which results in

shaken status

Save DC: Will save ( DC 18 )

Well, nothing except for the burning enchantment on

what was left of the walls, really little more than black

blocks of basalt blown across the floors of valleys,

scattered by meteor swarms or even move earth.

Sound or stimulus: Casting any sonic damaging spell

Effect: Increases the damage of such a spell by +2 per

die

Save DC: Will Save. It increases the save DCs of

such spells by 3

So what has become of these stones? Many are well-

known to travelers, who know that by staying at a

certain distance, they have an instant campfire. Some

serve as basking rocks for mountain salamanders. The

unaware can still be burnt, of course, but few people

traveling in the region would not spend the time to

scope it out ahead of time ( DC 13 gather information

check ponies up the info ). Of course, since adven-

turers like to adventure, and ‘adventure’ and ‘plan

ahead’ can be almost opposite sometimes, here’s a

damage table to determine how badly the party got

torched by getting close to that rock. Note that the

stone activates 1d4 rounds after a person comes within

15 feet of them; this delay was deliberate on the part

Sound or stimulus: Ventriloquism

Effect: A character who has cast a ventriloquism spell

is immune to the effects of the amplifiers

Save DC: NA

The Ash Stones

The old fortresses of the sorceror kings were a sight

to see. They were not content with an almost impreg-

nable defense consisting of towering basalt walls,

Page 3

Hostile Environment 2

Ash Stone

Distance to Burning stone Save DC (reflex)

Damage

15 – 11 feet

2d6

10- 6 feet

3d6

5- 1 feet

4d6

Physically touching

8d6

of the sorceror kings in an attempt to catch opponents

unaware.

provide small targets and are easily replaced. This is

seldom the case for some poor adventurer who needed

to take a shortcut through the wastes; he is going to

be exposed, and it may cost him his life. Consult the

following table to determine the effects of exposure.

Burning Rain

Wastelands don’t just come from nowhere. Life

has this strange habit of being able to survive under

almost any conditions, so when you come across a

true wasteland, you know something is really amiss.

In the case of the Burning Rain, it isn’t that there is

no life present, although it certainly appears that way.

Rather, it’s that the life that is present overpowers

everything else, leaving behind fields of bone and

ragged brush.

Exposure time: Less than 10 minutes

Save DC: Fortitude DC 9

Effect: Minor rash which resembles a web-like array

of red stripes. Causes an exposed character to become

sickened for 1d4 days.

Exposure time: 11 minutes to half an hour

Save DC: Fortitude DC 13

Effect: Skin blistering which causes pain, and inflicts

2d4 con damage.

The areas where Burning Rain is present are fairly

remote to say the least, but it isn’t exactly difficult to

recognize its presence. A simple DC 10 knowledge:

nature check will draw attention to the leaden cast of

the skies and the way shadows seem to crawl under

the surface of the clouds, writhing about like eels

through clouded milk. This haze is actually a swarm

of billions of tiny creatures, miniscule insects which

are so light and airy that they can live their entire lives

on the droplets of water vapor in cloud formations.

This wouldn’t be a problem, save that their larvae are

a hazard. Well, more than a hazard; they’re deadly.

Exposure time: Half an hour to a full hour

Save DC: Fortitude DC 18

Effect: Severe skin damage, internal damage. Inflicts

2d8 con damage, which will not recover without the

aid of magical healing.

Exposure time: A full hour or more

Save DC: Fortitude DC 24

Effect: Skin and muscle erosion causes 4d8 con

damage, very likely killing the poor person who

stayed out in the rain. Will not heal without the aid of

magical healing.

The insects lay their egg clusters in the tiny water

droplets, each of which is only the size of a speck of

dust. Several can exist in a single drop of rain. The

first thing a person will notice about the burning rain

is the smell: the insect larvae release a type of bitter

musk which is intended to protect them from preda-

tors. The end result is a wave of a sour, lime-like

smell just before the rain starts. If you’re lucky, this

is enough time for you to take cover, because being

out in the burning rain is hell.

Thankfully, there are a few ways to protect yourself

from these creatures, as shown below.

Natural armor: +1 bonus to Fortitude save per point

of natural armor

Took cover ( not complete shelter, but a lean-to or

other such a structure ): +3

Under the effect of repel vermin, antilife shell,

repulsion, or similar magic: Effect negated

completely.

The little larvae burrow into living matter that they

come into contact with, whether it is human, animal,

or plant. Most of the vegetation in the region has long

since adapted to be able to survive this onslaught; the

brush has developed heavy bark and tiny leaves which

Cordel Smog Vents

Volcanic areas can pose a lot of problems to the trav-

eling man. Although generally any place where fire

Page 4

Hostile Environment 2

of the sorceror kings in an attempt to catch opponents

unaware.

provide small targets and are easily replaced. This is

seldom the case for some poor adventurer who needed

to take a shortcut through the wastes; he is going to

be exposed, and it may cost him his life. Consult the

following table to determine the effects of exposure.

Burning Rain

Wastelands don’t just come from nowhere. Life

has this strange habit of being able to survive under

almost any conditions, so when you come across a

true wasteland, you know something is really amiss.

In the case of the Burning Rain, it isn’t that there is

no life present, although it certainly appears that way.

Rather, it’s that the life that is present overpowers

everything else, leaving behind fields of bone and

ragged brush.

Exposure time: Less than 10 minutes

Save DC: Fortitude DC 9

Effect: Minor rash which resembles a web-like array

of red stripes. Causes an exposed character to become

sickened for 1d4 days.

Exposure time: 11 minutes to half an hour

Save DC: Fortitude DC 13

Effect: Skin blistering which causes pain, and inflicts

2d4 con damage.

The areas where Burning Rain is present are fairly

remote to say the least, but it isn’t exactly difficult to

recognize its presence. A simple DC 10 knowledge:

nature check will draw attention to the leaden cast of

the skies and the way shadows seem to crawl under

the surface of the clouds, writhing about like eels

through clouded milk. This haze is actually a swarm

of billions of tiny creatures, miniscule insects which

are so light and airy that they can live their entire lives

on the droplets of water vapor in cloud formations.

This wouldn’t be a problem, save that their larvae are

a hazard. Well, more than a hazard; they’re deadly.

Exposure time: Half an hour to a full hour

Save DC: Fortitude DC 18

Effect: Severe skin damage, internal damage. Inflicts

2d8 con damage, which will not recover without the

aid of magical healing.

Exposure time: A full hour or more

Save DC: Fortitude DC 24

Effect: Skin and muscle erosion causes 4d8 con

damage, very likely killing the poor person who

stayed out in the rain. Will not heal without the aid of

magical healing.

The insects lay their egg clusters in the tiny water

droplets, each of which is only the size of a speck of

dust. Several can exist in a single drop of rain. The

first thing a person will notice about the burning rain

is the smell: the insect larvae release a type of bitter

musk which is intended to protect them from preda-

tors. The end result is a wave of a sour, lime-like

smell just before the rain starts. If you’re lucky, this

is enough time for you to take cover, because being

out in the burning rain is hell.

Thankfully, there are a few ways to protect yourself

from these creatures, as shown below.

Natural armor: +1 bonus to Fortitude save per point

of natural armor

Took cover ( not complete shelter, but a lean-to or

other such a structure ): +3

Under the effect of repel vermin, antilife shell,

repulsion, or similar magic: Effect negated

completely.

The little larvae burrow into living matter that they

come into contact with, whether it is human, animal,

or plant. Most of the vegetation in the region has long

since adapted to be able to survive this onslaught; the

brush has developed heavy bark and tiny leaves which

Cordel Smog Vents

Volcanic areas can pose a lot of problems to the trav-

eling man. Although generally any place where fire

Page 4

Hostile Environment 2

Cordel Smog Vents

Gas color Save DC ( Fortitude ) Effect

Red

Fear ( as the spell )

Yellow

Hideous Laughter ( as the spell )

Blue

Paralysis ( as the ‘hold’ spells )

Green

Intense euphoria and 1d6 wisdom damage.

Orange

Confusion ( as the spell )

Indigo

Smells like lavender, and heals 1d6 hit points per minute

of exposure.

shoots out of the ground is bound to be unpleasant,

certain areas are especially nasty, and it isn’t always

the flashy, burning things that get you. Sometimes the

causes are a little more insidious.

Note: When near the gas, there is a 25% chance

each hour of encountering any plant-based creatures

looking for a meal.

Enter the smog vents. Certain combinations of gasses

released through volcanic activity, when mixed with

chemicals in the soil, air, or surrounding waters, can

produce a devastating cocktail of smog. The most

dangerous types are the smogs that seem bearable or

even pleasant, provoking people to continue through

an area because they believe that they can handle

it. Adventurous, perhaps, but also a little bit idiotic,

given that most people who do head into the clouds

wind up unconscious or delirious within minutes.

Crysallins

Centuries ago, a rather novel method to deal with

opposing summons was developed. At the time, many

battles were fought entirely with magically summoned

beasts from different planes, as kingdoms were loathe

to lose their own people in fighting. This type of

warfare by proxy quickly became a liability after the

development of the Crysallin, many of which can still

be found littering ancient battlefields.

The most dangerous smog vents are those which occur

naturally around the more rugged areas of Cordel, in

deep, often unexplored volcanic valleys. These vents

emit a curious gas, and several interesting opportu-

nistic species have grown in the area to feed from

those who have succumbed.

Although it is possible to dismiss summoned enti-

ties, this requires time and effort applied to each

spell, which makes dealing with huge swarms of

foes problematic. But as it turned out, it took very

little effort to entrap the energies which allowed the

beings to travel to this world. This had the result of

essentially placing a summon’s corporeal form into

a type of stasis. The method for achieving this was

a very powerful and complicated spell, but its area

of effect could be measured in miles. It wiped out

entire armies in one fell swoop, leaving the Crysallins

behind.

The smog vents produce a variety of differently

colored gasses ( all the colors of the rainbow! ) which

can actually produce intense euphoria and a loss of

inhibition, and these are the perfect conditions for

various predators seeking an easy meal ( including

such party favorites as the shambling mound and

the otyugh, both of whom are immune to the gasses’

effects ). These creatures are quick to take advan-

tage of any prey who is weakened by exposure to

the fumes. Consult the table below to determine the

effects of gas exposure. Note that a save must be

made for every minute to avoid the effect.

So what are the Crysallins? They resemble small

glass spheres, like marbles or baubles, each of which

is clear but usually tinted a light color. A Crysallin

is warm to the touch, and detects as abjuration magic

if checked for. The can be found in the thousands on

old plains of conflict, and are frequently dug up as

empty fields are turned back to farming. Due to this

recent development, there has be a problem.

The type of gas being ejected changes every 2d4

minutes. The effects of a gas wear off after a person

has left the vicinity of that particular gas, although the

wisdom damage from the green gas persists like any

other ability damage.

The Crysallins, though impregnable from within,

can be easily shattered from outside. Obviously this

releases the creature it had entrapped. The creators

of the crysallins were well aware of this fact, and

Page 5

Hostile Environment 2

shoots out of the ground is bound to be unpleasant,

certain areas are especially nasty, and it isn’t always

the flashy, burning things that get you. Sometimes the

causes are a little more insidious.

Note: When near the gas, there is a 25% chance

each hour of encountering any plant-based creatures

looking for a meal.

Crysallins

Centuries ago, a rather novel method to deal with

opposing summons was developed. At the time, many

battles were fought entirely with magically summoned

beasts from different planes, as kingdoms were loathe

to lose their own people in fighting. This type of

warfare by proxy quickly became a liability after the

development of the Crysallin, many of which can still

be found littering ancient battlefields.

Enter the smog vents. Certain combinations of gasses

released through volcanic activity, when mixed with

chemicals in the soil, air, or surrounding waters, can

produce a devastating cocktail of smog. The most

dangerous types are the smogs that seem bearable or

even pleasant, provoking people to continue through

an area because they believe that they can handle

it. Adventurous, perhaps, but also a little bit idiotic,

given that most people who do head into the clouds

wind up unconscious or delirious within minutes.

Although it is possible to dismiss summoned enti-

ties, this requires time and effort applied to each

spell, which makes dealing with huge swarms of

foes problematic. But as it turned out, it took very

little effort to entrap the energies which allowed the

beings to travel to this world. This had the result of

essentially placing a summon’s corporeal form into

a type of stasis. The method for achieving this was

a very powerful and complicated spell, but its area

of effect could be measured in miles. It wiped out

entire armies in one fell swoop, leaving the Crysallins

behind.

The most dangerous smog vents are those which occur

naturally around the more rugged areas of Cordel, in

deep, often unexplored volcanic valleys. These vents

emit a curious gas, and several interesting opportu-

nistic species have grown in the area to feed from

those who have succumbed.

The smog vents produce a variety of differently

colored gasses ( all the colors of the rainbow! ) which

can actually produce intense euphoria and a loss of

inhibition, and these are the perfect conditions for

various predators seeking an easy meal ( including

such party favorites as the shambling mound and

the otyugh, both of whom are immune to the gasses’

effects ). These creatures are quick to take advan-

tage of any prey who is weakened by exposure to

the fumes. Consult the table below to determine the

effects of gas exposure. Note that a save must be

made for every minute to avoid the effect.

So what are the Crysallins? They resemble small

glass spheres, like marbles or baubles, each of which

is clear but usually tinted a light color. A Crysallin

is warm to the touch, and detects as abjuration magic

if checked for. The can be found in the thousands on

old plains of conflict, and are frequently dug up as

empty fields are turned back to farming. Due to this

recent development, there has be a problem.

The type of gas being ejected changes every 2d4

minutes. The effects of a gas wear off after a person

has left the vicinity of that particular gas, although the

wisdom damage from the green gas persists like any

other ability damage.

The Crysallins, though impregnable from within,

can be easily shattered from outside. Obviously this

releases the creature it had entrapped. The creators

of the crysallins were well aware of this fact, and

Page 5

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