Difference between revisions of "Bitterly Cold Conditions"

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[[File:Bitterly Cold Conditions.jpg|right|490px|thumb|Still signs of civilisation, but all who dwell here in the winter are sheltered]]
 
[[File:Bitterly Cold Conditions.jpg|right|490px|thumb|Still signs of civilisation, but all who dwell here in the winter are sheltered]]
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::''The land is a great, desolate world, where nights are clear and the moon glows with awful clearness.  The icy world is silent, as every living thing goes to ground and nothing moves; the land is locked tight as a drum.  The silence bludgeons you dumb.  And every movement is stiff and numb, as you lumber along in heavy dun.''
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::''The land is a great, desolate world, where nights are clear and the moon glows with awful luminosity.  The icy world is silent, as every living thing goes to ground and nothing moves; the land is locked tight as a drum.  The silence bludgeons you dumb.  And every movement is stiff and numb, as you lumber along in heavy dun.''
  
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These harsh, biting temperatures range between -29° to -34° celsius (-20° to -29° F), but to the fantasy mindset they are known only as '''bitterly cold'''.
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'''Bitterly cold conditions''' describes a temperature range between -21 and -30°F.  The air plunges into an unbearably frigid and piercing cold, causing immediate discomfort and posing a severe threat to characters' survival. Bundling up in multiple layers of thick, heavily insulated clothing becomes essential to withstand the relentless freeze. The terrain lies in an unyielding grip of ice and snow, rendering travel exceptionally perilous with icy, hazardous paths. Outdoor activities become nearly impossible, demanding robust protection against the extreme and life-threatening cold.
  
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== Clothing ==
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Settlement life faces an unprecedented crisis under these severely freezing conditions, relying desperately on intense and continuous heating sources to maintain minimal warmth indoors. Clothing becomes excessively padded and layered, offering vital defense against the brutal cold. Homes struggle to maintain even a remotely comfortable indoor temperature, often resorting to extreme measures like additional heating and insulation. Resource management becomes critical, with food preservation entirely reliant on the extreme freezing temperatures, while fresh produce becomes virtually nonexistent.
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Safety requires a minimum of 25 lbs. of clothing.  Exposed skin will freeze in 2-3 minutes and become [[Frostbite|frostbitten]] within 15. Suggested clothing includes linen breeches, gabardine trousers and fur boots, with boot covers for the lower body; woolen shirt, doublet, robe, gabardine jacket and mantle above the waist. Inner and outer mittens provide two very much needed layers, with wool hat and fur hat giving two layers atop the head.  A scarf is needed to protect the face.  If extra weight is needed, a full woollen jumper and heavy fur coat can be added.
 
  
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== Effects & Limitations ==
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Community gatherings virtually cease in these life-threatening conditions, with most activities forcibly moved indoors to escape the relentless cold's deadly grasp. Trade and commerce adapt to offer goods specifically suited for the perilous and inhospitable winter climate. Character interactions within communities center around survival and mutual support amidst the severe and life-threatening freezing conditions.
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[[Wind Speed|Any amount of wind]] will drastically reduce conditions, with a light breeze causing [[Arctic Conditions]] and a gentle breeze bringing [[Polar Conditions]].  As such, [[travelling]] or working in these conditions is dangerous except when the air is still or nearly so. Most times, these temperatures will occur in places where long nights and darkness exists for a good part of the year. The presence of snow is almost assured and storms will become blizzards with white-out conditions.  Becoming lost in these conditions will almost certainly mean death.  If the character fails to contract [[Hypothermia|hypothermia]], after 2½ hours in bitterly cold weather the character will begin to suffer 1 [[Hit Points|hit point]] of [[Damage (hit points)|damage]] per [[Experience Level|level]], per 15 minutes, until finding shelter or [[Death|dying]].
 
  
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=== Hypothermia ===
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Exploration encounters insurmountable weather-related obstacles, with quests halted by the extreme cold that poses an immediate threat to characters' lives. Predictable wildlife behavior witnesses creatures seeking extreme shelter or becoming entirely dormant due to the harsh and fatal temperatures. Encounters with snow-dwelling creatures become exceedingly prevalent, adapted to thrive in the unforgiving and frozen environment.
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Because so much clothing must be worn to keep warm, there is danger of sweating inside one's clothes.  The danger is that once this inner wet permeates to the outside, the clothes will freeze through and affect the body's health. When performing heavy activity, such as chopping wood, construction or digging, the character must make a [[Ability Checks|constitution check]] '''every 6 minutes''' against hypothermia. If engaging in [[Combat|combat]] in these conditions, a check must be made in the 8th [[Combat Round|round]], and every 8 rounds thereafter.
 
  
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A failed roll indicates the character has caught a chill. Within 5-20 rounds, they will begin to '''shiver''' uncontrollably; once this stage occurs, the character will become '''-4 to hit and suffer a temporary loss of 'two levels'''.  They will not be able to [[Spellcasting|cast spells]].  Five rounds later, they won't be able to fight at all, and will drop their weapons and feel dizzy.  At this time, they have 8-20 minutes in bitterly cold conditions to find shelter, or else they will become delirious and incapable of saving themselves.  Death from the cold will follow in 1-4 minutes per point of constitution.
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Dungeon exploration reflects the external weather conditions, presenting challenges heavily influenced by the life-threatening cold. Dungeons might feature frozen elements or lethal frost-based obstacles, making navigation perilous to the extreme. Adventurers confront these treacherous obstacles while combating the relentless and freezing climate, often requiring extraordinary strategies or specialized equipment to navigate through the harsh and lethal conditions.
  
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If exposed to a fire, the wet clothes removed and at least 12½ lbs. of clothes worn while remaining next to a fire, the character can be made partially sensible again; however, they will not be able to cast spells or take part in combat, due to weariness, until a full day's rest can be had inside a sustainable shelter.
 
  
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=== Building a Fire ===
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See [[Temperature Grades]]
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If a strong fire can be built in these conditions, it will double the survival time of those who cannot find or make shelter of any kind.  However, often it is hard to find sufficient fuel to maintain a fire, and impossible if there is more than an inch of snow covering on the ground.  Therefore, fuel must be conjured by magical means or brought along with the character.
 
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See Also,<br>
 
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[[Temperature Grades]]<br>
 
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[[The Adventure]]
 

Latest revision as of 08:29, 29 November 2023

Still signs of civilisation, but all who dwell here in the winter are sheltered
The land is a great, desolate world, where nights are clear and the moon glows with awful luminosity. The icy world is silent, as every living thing goes to ground and nothing moves; the land is locked tight as a drum. The silence bludgeons you dumb. And every movement is stiff and numb, as you lumber along in heavy dun.

Bitterly cold conditions describes a temperature range between -21 and -30°F. The air plunges into an unbearably frigid and piercing cold, causing immediate discomfort and posing a severe threat to characters' survival. Bundling up in multiple layers of thick, heavily insulated clothing becomes essential to withstand the relentless freeze. The terrain lies in an unyielding grip of ice and snow, rendering travel exceptionally perilous with icy, hazardous paths. Outdoor activities become nearly impossible, demanding robust protection against the extreme and life-threatening cold.

Settlement life faces an unprecedented crisis under these severely freezing conditions, relying desperately on intense and continuous heating sources to maintain minimal warmth indoors. Clothing becomes excessively padded and layered, offering vital defense against the brutal cold. Homes struggle to maintain even a remotely comfortable indoor temperature, often resorting to extreme measures like additional heating and insulation. Resource management becomes critical, with food preservation entirely reliant on the extreme freezing temperatures, while fresh produce becomes virtually nonexistent.

Community gatherings virtually cease in these life-threatening conditions, with most activities forcibly moved indoors to escape the relentless cold's deadly grasp. Trade and commerce adapt to offer goods specifically suited for the perilous and inhospitable winter climate. Character interactions within communities center around survival and mutual support amidst the severe and life-threatening freezing conditions.

Exploration encounters insurmountable weather-related obstacles, with quests halted by the extreme cold that poses an immediate threat to characters' lives. Predictable wildlife behavior witnesses creatures seeking extreme shelter or becoming entirely dormant due to the harsh and fatal temperatures. Encounters with snow-dwelling creatures become exceedingly prevalent, adapted to thrive in the unforgiving and frozen environment.

Dungeon exploration reflects the external weather conditions, presenting challenges heavily influenced by the life-threatening cold. Dungeons might feature frozen elements or lethal frost-based obstacles, making navigation perilous to the extreme. Adventurers confront these treacherous obstacles while combating the relentless and freezing climate, often requiring extraordinary strategies or specialized equipment to navigate through the harsh and lethal conditions.


See Temperature Grades

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