Bitter Plains
This portion of the Plains of Ash is bitter cold. It is always below freezing and at night it is not uncommon for those without heat and shelter to freeze and die. Calling it a Plain is also somewhat misleading. During day the land takes on very swamp like qualities while a thick fog permeates the area. It is common knowledge that undead prowl the area, as do many other strange phenomena.
Exploring the Cold Marshes
Before beginning this adventure, DMs and Keepers should become familiar with the rules for getting lost, marsh terrain, aquatic terrain, and underwater combat. Some of the weather conditions prevalent in the Bitter Plains are described later in this section. The Bitter Plains are a vast wetland shrouded in chilling fog and ground mists. In places, the soggy ground gives way to large but shallow bodies of cold, slightly acidic water. Heath, sedge, and stunted, moss-covered trees are the most common forms of vegetation. All year around, even in the summer, those that enter the Bitter Plains are at risk from natural and unnatural conditions such as blackfrost and the dreaded mists of undeath.Overland Movement
The Bitter Plains are trackless swamps, and as such reduce overland movement rates by 1/2; a party that moves at a speed of 30 feet can cover 12 miles per day.Temperature and Hypothermia
The temperature of the waters isn't much higher than freezing, averaging 36 degrees Fahrenheit at high summer. Unprotected characters must make a Constitution save each hour (DC 15, +1 per previous check) or take 1d6 points of nonlethal damage. Characters who wear cold weather clothing or having any measure of resistance to cold are protected from this damage. Immersion in the near freezing waters brings greater danger however. Immersion in water calls for an immediate Constitution save to resist the effects of the cold temperature; cold weather clothing does not offer any protection in this case. Worse, the DC of all Constitution saves to avoid taking damage from cold or resisting cold-based spells and effects is increased by +10 until the character and his/hers clothes becomes dry. As long as a character is suffering from non-lethal damage from cold temperature, he/she succumbs to mild hypothermia and is fatigued. A character suffering from mild hypothermia who fails a Constitution save against the cold is beset by moderate hypothermia and gains 1 level of exhaustion. A character suffering from moderate hypothermia who fails a Constitution save to avoid the effects of cold or exposure is beset by severe hypothermia and is treated as disabled.Getting Lost
If the PCs have the map of the area, they must a DC 7 Survival check each hour of movement to avoid becoming lost. Without the map, the check becomes a DC 13 Survival check.Encounters
There's an 8% change of an encounter per hour of travel or per four hours of rest. If an encounter occurs, roll D% and consult the Bitter Plains Encounter Table to determine what sort of creature is encountered. If you roll an encounter with a creature from a sourcebook you don't have access to, simply reroll the encounter.Weather
The Bitter Plains are notorious not only for the strange and terrible creatures that dwell within them, but also for the unusually deadly weather that manifests therein. Each morning, roll d% and consult the Bitter Plains Weather Table to determine what kind of weather the PCs encounter during the day on the Marshes.Rain
Rain reduces visibility by half, resulting in a -4 penalty on Spot and Search checks. Characters exposed to rain have a greater chance of suffering from hypothermia if they remain wet for too long (1 hour).Ground Fog
A 1-ft. deep layer of fog covers the ground and marsh waters. Long-distance visibility is not impacted, but snags and water obscured by the fog slow overland movement by an additional 50%. Characters who take more than a single move action in a round must make a DC 10 Dexterity save to avoid tripping on a hidden snag and falling prone. Characters who fall prone have a 25% chance of falling into a shallow pool of near-freezing water.Light Mist
Visibility is reduced to 100 feet, but unlike the thicker ground fog, this light mist doesn't impact movement.Thick Fog
Thick fog reduces visibility to 5 feet. Beyond this, only vague shapes can be seen in the mist. Thick fog reduces movement as ground fog. The Survival check DC to avoid becoming lost increases by +10 (with or without a map).Blackfrost
A numbing chill settles on the marsh. A thin rime of eerie black ice forms on the water and plants of the marsh. The temperature drops to severe cold (0 degrees Fahrenheit). Unprotected characters must now make Constitution saves once every 10 minutes to avoid hypothermia. A character who has a cold weather outfit or fur clothing must save once per hour, but a character with both a cold weather outfit and fur clothing (or any character with magical resistance to cold) is still safe at this temperature range.Chilling Mist
This unnaturally cold fog combines with the effects of Blackfrost and Thick Fog.Vampiric Mist
For most of the day, this weather acts like light mist. Each hour, there's a 25% chance that a patch of mist infused with foul necromancy wafts over the PCs. This small cloud of dense mist reduces visibility as thick fog for 1d4 rounds before dissipating naturally. Worse, the mist drains blood at the rate of 1 point Strength damage per round, turning the mist red. Characters caught in the mist can resist a round's Strength damage with a successful DC 14 Constitution save, and a gust of wind or similar spell immediately disperses it. The mist follows its victims unerringly for the 1d4 rounds it exists, so attempts to run away fail unless a victim dives underwater where the mist cannot follow.Choking Fog
This nasty yellowish mist functions as light mist, save that it smells horribly of rotting flesh and vegetation. Each hour, a character in the mist must make a DC 14 Constitution save or become sickened for one hour. Sickened characters take -2 penalty on attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks.Mist of Undeath
This mist is dark and shadowy, and functions as thick fog. Encounter checks increase to a 15% chance per hour, weather the PCs are on the move or not. If an encounter occurs, roll on the Bitter Plains Mist of Undeath Encounter Table. Otherwise, roll on the Bitter Plains Encounter Table normally to determine what is encount
Type
Wetland / Swamp
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