Travel
Environmental Perils
Weariness and Starvation
Characters that do not rest, eat, or drink for one day become Weary. Weary characters that continue to fail to rest, eat, or drink must make a Toughness Save Roll at the end of each day, against an Attack Level equal to twice the number of days they have gone without eating, drinking, or resting. Characters failing this roll suffer a cumulative -20 Exhaustion penalty to all their actions. Should this penalty ever reach -100, the character dies of exhaustion.
Exhaustion penalties are recovered at the rate of 20 points per day of complete rest and proper nourishment.
Falling
Falls from dangerous heights are resolved as an attack on the Beast Attack Table against the falling character, inflicting Impact Critical Strikes. The CMB of this attack is equal to five times the length of the fall in meters, rounded up.
- Falls of 5 meters or less are limited to a maximum result of 90 on the Attack Table.
- Falls of 5 to 10 meters are limited to a maximum result of 120 on the Attack Table, and gain a +10 bonus to their Attack Roll.
- Falls of 10 to 20 meters are limited to a maximum result of 150 on the Attack Table, and gain a +20 bonus to their Attack Roll.
- Falls of more than 20 meters can reach the top of the Attack Table, and gain a +30 bonus to their Attack Roll.
Characters cannot add their shield bonus to their Defense against this attack.
Extreme Heat and Cold
Natural extreme heat or cold are treated as Weather Hazards. They can inflict the Weary condition or even Exhaustion (as a day without eating or drinking) on unwary and unprepared travelers.
Characters who expose themselves to intense natural cold also suffer Frost Critical Strikes, ranging from Superficial (falling into frigid waters) to Moderate Severity (walking unprotected through a blizzard in arctic conditions).
Contact with a live flame or searing hot material causes a Fire Critical Strike each Round, ranging from Superficial (touching hot coals or being struck with a lit torch) up to Lethal (being doused in alchemical fire or trapped in a forest fire).
Drowning and Suffocation
Characters drowning or suffocating for any reason — from failing their Athletics Roll while swimming against a strong current to being constricted by a giant snake — will fall unconscious and become Incapacitated. If the condition causing their suffocation persists, they will start Dying in 10 minutes. Otherwise, they will wake up Weary as soon as someone assists them with a Healer Roll, or 1d10 hours later.
Missing in Action: drowning or suffocating is rarely a heroic death. Unless the situation is particularly dramatic, consider using the Incapacitated Condition to put the heroes into further danger rather than jumping straight to Dying. Have the current sweep the characters away, separating them from the rest of the party, or have them wake up hours later in an unfamiliar place with most of their equipment gone.
Visibility
Fog, darkness, or other environmental conditions like heavy rain can hinder a character's vision and prove a serious obstacle. Lighting conditions are divided into three categories.
Bright Light
Bright Light describes well-lit areas, such as those bathed in sunlight or illuminated by torches, lanterns, or bonfires. Characters can usually see and act normally under this lighting condition.
Dim Light
Dim Light describes shadowy and feebly illuminated areas, like a field in the moonlight, most city streets at night, or a cavern lit by a single candle. Characters in Dim Light suffer a -20 penalty to their Perception and Wandering Rolls and must halve their Move Rate while traveling.
Total Darkness
Total Darkness describes areas completely obscured by shadows. Characters in this lighting condition normally cannot see at all. Darkness is treated as an additional Hazard while traveling.
Fog, mist, and heavy rain can be treated as Dim Light, while blizzards, whiteouts, and similarly severe weather conditions can impair sight as much as Total Darkness.
Foraging
Characters can hunt and forage for food while traveling instead of consuming rations. A successful Hunting or Nature Skill Roll provides enough food and water to sustain the party for one day, provided that the area they are crossing is capable of sustaining life.
Foraging and hunting takes time: characters gathering food will move at half their speed for the day. Characters foraging while also Pathfinding will move at one quarter their normal speed.