Difference between revisions of "Scorching Conditions"
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| − | '''Scorching conditions''' | + | '''Scorching conditions''' describe an environment where temperatures exceed 130°F, creating an immediate and life-threatening hazard. The air itself is blistering, making each breath feel dry and searing, while exposed skin burns within moments under the relentless sun. The ground, heated beyond endurance, scorches bare feet and radiates heat upward, ensuring that even in the shade, there is little relief. Moving in such conditions is agonizing, with exhaustion setting in rapidly as sweat evaporates before it can cool the body, leaving individuals at severe risk of dehydration and heatstroke. |
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| + | == Comfort == | ||
| + | Survival demands extreme caution, with travel limited to dawn and dusk, if at all. Clothing must be loose and layered to protect from the sun while allowing airflow, though even the lightest materials offer little comfort. Metal armor is completely untenable, turning into a searing death trap, while even leather and cloth become suffocating burdens. Water sources evaporate or dry out entirely, forcing those caught in this heat to ration supplies carefully, though even the act of drinking can feel insufficient against the overwhelming thirst. | ||
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| + | Even the most mundane actions become a battle against the heat, as sweat vanishes before it can cool, leaving behind only a crust of salt on the skin. Lips crack and peel, while eyes sting from the dryness, blinking away a constant film of grit carried on the heated wind. The scent of dust and baked earth fills the air, mingling with the sharp tang of sun-scorched metal and the distant, acrid smell of vegetation curling and blackening in the relentless heat. Those who collapse from exhaustion or dehydration are unlikely to rise again, their bodies succumbing to the elements as the ground itself seems to drink in the last of their strength. | ||
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| + | == Movement == | ||
| + | Settlements all but shut down under these conditions, as streets become unwalkable and homes, unless built of thick stone or underground, offer no true refuge. Fires are a constant danger, as dry wood, grass, and fabric ignite with little provocation. Commerce ceases, outdoor labor becomes impossible, and those without access to shelter suffer swift, often fatal consequences. Entire communities may be forced to abandon their homes if the heat persists, leaving behind ghost towns and parched ruins. | ||
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| + | Wilderness travel in this heat is all but suicidal, as the land itself seems hostile to life. Animals either burrow deep or become aggressive in their desperation, while carrion birds circle overhead, waiting for the inevitable collapse of the weak. Rivers shrink, ponds turn to cracked dust, and even resilient plant life withers. Dungeons offer no sanctuary, as their interiors trap the heat, turning stone corridors into suffocating ovens. Any attempt to explore or fight in this temperature is a battle against one’s own body, as strength, focus, and endurance drain away with each passing moment in the unrelenting, scorching heat. | ||
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| + | See [[Temperature Grades]] | ||
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See [[Temperature Grades]] | See [[Temperature Grades]] | ||
Revision as of 16:51, 18 February 2025
Scorching conditions describe an environment where temperatures exceed 130°F, creating an immediate and life-threatening hazard. The air itself is blistering, making each breath feel dry and searing, while exposed skin burns within moments under the relentless sun. The ground, heated beyond endurance, scorches bare feet and radiates heat upward, ensuring that even in the shade, there is little relief. Moving in such conditions is agonizing, with exhaustion setting in rapidly as sweat evaporates before it can cool the body, leaving individuals at severe risk of dehydration and heatstroke.
Comfort
Survival demands extreme caution, with travel limited to dawn and dusk, if at all. Clothing must be loose and layered to protect from the sun while allowing airflow, though even the lightest materials offer little comfort. Metal armor is completely untenable, turning into a searing death trap, while even leather and cloth become suffocating burdens. Water sources evaporate or dry out entirely, forcing those caught in this heat to ration supplies carefully, though even the act of drinking can feel insufficient against the overwhelming thirst.
Even the most mundane actions become a battle against the heat, as sweat vanishes before it can cool, leaving behind only a crust of salt on the skin. Lips crack and peel, while eyes sting from the dryness, blinking away a constant film of grit carried on the heated wind. The scent of dust and baked earth fills the air, mingling with the sharp tang of sun-scorched metal and the distant, acrid smell of vegetation curling and blackening in the relentless heat. Those who collapse from exhaustion or dehydration are unlikely to rise again, their bodies succumbing to the elements as the ground itself seems to drink in the last of their strength.
Movement
Settlements all but shut down under these conditions, as streets become unwalkable and homes, unless built of thick stone or underground, offer no true refuge. Fires are a constant danger, as dry wood, grass, and fabric ignite with little provocation. Commerce ceases, outdoor labor becomes impossible, and those without access to shelter suffer swift, often fatal consequences. Entire communities may be forced to abandon their homes if the heat persists, leaving behind ghost towns and parched ruins.
Wilderness travel in this heat is all but suicidal, as the land itself seems hostile to life. Animals either burrow deep or become aggressive in their desperation, while carrion birds circle overhead, waiting for the inevitable collapse of the weak. Rivers shrink, ponds turn to cracked dust, and even resilient plant life withers. Dungeons offer no sanctuary, as their interiors trap the heat, turning stone corridors into suffocating ovens. Any attempt to explore or fight in this temperature is a battle against one’s own body, as strength, focus, and endurance drain away with each passing moment in the unrelenting, scorching heat.
