Ecological Aspect
A world’s ecological rating determines how benign or hostile the overall
environment is as well as the similarities of landscape, flora, and fauna as
compared to the base campaign. A rating of 2 indicates a completely hostile
environment while an E20 world represents a paradise. A rating of 10–12 indicates a
generally earth-like environment that may contain hazardous extremes, such as
deserts, ocean depths, low air pressure at high altitude, etc.
Ecological Notes
Worlds rated E6 or less inflict one of more of the effects (DM’s choice) from
the table below upon visitors from the base campaign. The type of effect should
reflect the nature of the environment. For example, one world’s acidic
atmosphere might inflict damage and another world’s polluted air might reduce
Constitution.
Condition
| Severe
| Hostile
| Deadly
|
Constitution
|
|
|
|
Loss
| 1d6/Day
| 1d6/Hour
| 1d6/Round
|
Damage
| 2d4/Day
| 2d4/Hour
| 2d4/Round
|
Poison Save*
| 1/Day
| 1/Hour
| 1/Round
|
* The saving throw must be attempted at the end of each exposure period;
failure results in immediate death.
Severe Conditions: The environment poses a danger if exposure lasts too long. The intensity is
similar to a desert or polar ice cap. Mundane precautions—drinking extra water,
wearing a heavy coat—can negate or reduce the damage.
Hostile Conditions: The environment poses an immediate threat to normal humans. The intensity is
similar to immersion in arctic water or exposure to volcanic gases. Mundane
precautions might reduce the effects to severe or be entirely ineffective. Minor
protective magic, such as an endure cold/heat spell, ring of fire resistance, or ring of warmth, negates the effects.
Deadly Conditions: The environment can kill normal humans within minutes. Intensity is similar to
the surface of the moon or the interior of a volcano. Mundane precautions are
ineffective, and some magical items or spells might prove too weak to provide
effective protection. The deadly effects listed on the table are the minimums,
and they can be much greater if conditions are particularly intense. For
example, the flames on the Plane of Elemental Fire require unprotected creatures to
save vs. breath weapon or die immediately. A successful save still inflicts 5d10
points of damage each round.
Worlds rated E18 or higher seem like paradises to visitors from worlds rated
E12 or less. At the DM’s option, certain actions can be perilous on such worlds.
For example, characters who go to sleep on such worlds may slumber until
attacked or awakened. Smelling a flower might produce a state of euphoria similar to
a confusion spell, although random actions tend to be non-violent; if the dice roll
indicates an attack the affected character sings and dances, perhaps urging other
nearby creatures to join in.
Natives of worlds rated E16 or higher generally cannot tolerate conditions on
less benign worlds. They suffer the effects from severe conditions on worlds
rated five less than their home worlds, hostile penalties on worlds rated six
less, and deadly penalties on worlds rated seven or more less.
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