To call the environment of Savage
Dawn inhospitable understates how deadly this wasteland can be. Constant blowing winds and snow scour the landscape and frequently obscure
vision. Temperatures hardly ever rise above freezing. Without the proper supplies and precautions, those exploring this vast expanse of ice quickly perish.
In addition to weather conditions, numerous other natural hazards such as crevices, avalanches, predators and treacherous ice make the wilderness a dangerous dwelling.
While the wilderness beyond the confines of civilization is harsh and unforgiving, its unending potential for discovery lures many adventurers
to leave safety behind. Few come back to tell
their tales, let alone scrape out a living in this wilderness, but those that do, become hardy survivalists and fabled heroes. They are rewarded with awe-inspiring views of vistas, a closer connection to the phenomenal beasts of the land, and a better understanding of nature.
Hex Crawl Exploration
Exploring the wilderness in Savage Dawn is
done using hex based travel, with each day of travel bringing chances of random encounters, landmarks, hazards, boons, and changing weather conditions.
Roleplaying an Expedition
For each day the adventurers travel through the wilderness, follow these steps
✦
Location: Using the map, identify the hex in which the party is currently located.
If the party is lost, do not reveal the hex to the players, otherwise, point out the appropriate hex.
✦
Direction: Ask the players to determine which direction they want to explore, and what pace they want to set (see “Travel Distances” below).
✦
Navigation: Have the players choose a navigator, and have them make an appropriate check to navigate.
✦
Random Events: For each day of travel, the adventurers have a chance to experience random events, including monsters, landmarks, natural hazards, boons, or changes in weather.
✦
Survival: For each day of travel, make sure the adventurers take nourishment, tend to their weapons, and rest adequately for the prolonged journey.
Travel Distance
On the wilderness map, each hex measures 25 miles. Unless otherwise stated, all wilderness terrain in Savage Dawn counts as difficult terrain, requiring movement at half your speed. Characters moving at a normal pace can traverse 1⁄2 a hex per day on foot through snowy terrain. Character skills or special precautions such as sleds, mounts, or other helpful conditions can negate these effects.
Forced March - The RPG system you decide to use may have rules for travel pace, if not, assume that characters pushing to travel at a faster pace have a 50% chance of moving one additional hex each day, and those moving at a slow pace have
a 50% chance of moving one fewer hex each day. Characters moving at a fast pace are normally disadvantaged in spotting threats or engaging in activities other than trekking. Those traveling at a slow pace typically have an advantage for those same checks.
Mapping New Discoveries
Countless adventurers have explored the savage wilderness, never to return and tell their tales. Merely surviving is a feat on its own because of the lack of record keeping and harshness of the wilds, little information is known of the outer
reaches. When players do make new discoveries, it is vital
to find ways to memorize it.
Experienced adventurers use primitive tools to record discoveries. Spellcasters can devise more forward-thinking ways of storing information.
✦
Designated Scribe - In order to keep track of your discoveries, assign one member of your group as a cartographer. During periods of rest, the player can attempt to immortalize newly discovered insights.
Lacking advanced technology or even a structured alphabet, mapmaking and keeping records can prove challenging, forcing most to rely on transferring information orally, through song and tale. This primitive transfer of knowledge makes it unreliable, often skewed and inconclusive, or growing more epic with each telling. Knowledge is not a common good, often accessible to only a few, making it a cunning tool to those that know how to take advantage of it.
Random Encounters
Characters trekking through the wilderness are likely to encounter something on their journey, providing an opportunity to learn about the world and gain some experience of surviving beyond the walls of civilization. Because the world of Savage Dawn is ever changing and unpredictable, random encounters might fluctuate from easy role-playing scenarios to deadly combat encounters.
✦
Rolling Encounters - For each day of wilderness travel, roll a d20 for events each morning, afternoon, and night. Roll or choose a result from the Encounters tables below to spark ideas for events, then tailor them to your story.
✦
Keeping Interest - If your players tire of random encounters, move the story along. Let the players narrate through easy or uninteresting encounters. Don’t be afraid to improvise and adapt to suit your player’s preferences.
✦
Lucky Break - Give your party a chance to escape from a fight they cannot win, even if that exit comes at a serious cost. Punish foolhardy characters who disregard the dangerous nature of the wilderness, where misplaced bravery means quickly forgotten heroes.
d20 | Random Encounters |
1-5 | Nothing happens |
6-7 | Weather Change (roll on Weather table) |
8-9 | Monster Encounter |
10-11 | Landmark Discovered |
12-13 | Natural Hazard |
14-15 | Natural Boon |
16-17 | Totem Discovered |
18-20 | Terrain Type Change |
Results from the
Random Encounters table suggest the broad nature of the encounter. Create your own detailed event based on the result, or roll on the specific tables in this chapter to generate specific encounter ideas.
Climate & Weather
Temperatures in the wilds are classified into four categories, taking into account factors such as wind chill. At the GM’s discretion, additional circumstances such as heavy storms, high altitude, or nightfall may affect these conditions which lower the temperature by one or more levels.
The Relentless Cold
Unless otherwise stated, the wilderness is continually subject to the effects of biting cold and frequently experiences heavy precipitation such
as razor hail and ice storms. The surface of the landscape is warped and broken, punctuated with rows of deep crevices and sharp, jutting sheets of ice that make it difficult to traverse. The slippery terrain severely impedes the travel of explorers brave or foolish enough to attempt venturing beyond the safety of their camp or civilization.
Cold
While taxing on anyone, those born into this world have grown accustomed to the harsh weather
and dress accordingly. Unless characters are not prepared for cold conditions, no negative effects apply in normal cold.
Biting Cold
While venturing into the wilds, temperatures can drop significantly and strong winds make it feel even colder. In areas of Extreme Cold, adventurers need one of the following prerequisites or start taking damage: specialist cold-resistant clothing, a heat source, or good shelter. If these conditions are not met, characters take 3d4 damage each minute while exposed.
Extreme Cold
Proper attire alone means nothing in extremely cold conditions. Even with the thickest of fur coats, the cold pierces through. In Extreme Cold, adventurers need two of the following three prerequisites or start taking damage: specialist cold-resistant clothing, a heat source, or good shelter. If two or more of these conditions are not met, characters take 3d4 damage each minute while exposed and movement speed is halved.
Mythic Cold
Only fabled heroes with magical protection or blessings from the gods dare venture into mortally cold locations. Said to be cursed by angry ancestral spirits, these places are so unimaginably cold, a mere minute can prove fatal for even the most hardened adventurers. Meeting the requirements for protection against Extreme Cold is not enough in areas that are Mythically Cold. Only magical or other special means of protection work here and characters take 5d10 damage per round otherwise.
Weather Conditions
You can use the following weather conditions, which can be adjusted to taste according to your gameplay style or narrative needs.
Heavy Snow - While snow is common in the Maw, heavy snow hampers visibility, making it difficult to spot dangers and navigate. Prolonged exposure to heavy snow increases the chances of avalanches and can cause the temperature to drop a level, to Biting Cold or Extreme Cold.
Snow Storm - A snowstorm is even more dangerous than Heavy Snow and slows travel pace to half your movement speed. In addition, it imposes disadvantage on sight, hearing, and agility related skills. Snowstorms can cause complete Whiteouts, which can quickly cause adventurers to get lost.
Heavy Rain - Heavy rain is most common in marshland areas and taigas. Normal rain creates no negative effects, but Heavy Rain may impose disadvantage on sight and hearing checks.
Fog, Mist - A thick fog can manifest in hills, mountain passes, icy planes, and caves. Thick fog can be used to hide, but also makes it harder to spot enemies. Fog imposes disadvantage on sight based skill checks.
Lightning Storm - Deep thunder preludes violent thunderstorms that illuminate the world briefly as flashes of lightning arc across the sky. Characters wearing metal objects in open terrain have a 5% chance of being struck by lightning, taking 8d6 lightning damage when hit.
Razor Hail - Flecks of razor sharp snow and hail rain from the skies, inflicting 2d6 points of slashing damage per round of exposure. This dangerous hail is known to pierce light armor made of leather or fur.
Cold Snap - Sudden drops in temperature can catch adventurers off guard. These can be caused by fluctuations in the Prysm energy or naturally occurring. A Cold Snap lowers the temperature in an area by one category. See Temperatures.
Howling Winds - The wind howls across the frozen plains and through rocky crags, sounding like wailing voices. Howling Winds result in a penalty on Hearing based skill checks.
Whiteouts - Without proper precautions (such as marker poles or light beacons), adventurers will almost certainly get lost during whiteouts due to heavy snow. Navigation checks must be made every round of movement to avoid getting lost.
d20 | Weather Conditions |
1-2 | Heavy Snow |
3-5 | Heavy Rain, Downpour |
6-8 | Snow Storm or Howling Winds |
9-10 | Razor Hail or Lightning Storm |
11-12 | Mist, Fog |
13-14 | Whiteout |
15-16 | Cold Snap |
17-20 | Clear Weather, Sunlight/td] |
Wilderness Navigation
Navigating the snowy wilderness is difficult. The absence of sun for long periods of time combined with a lack of clear landmarks means getting
lost is a real danger. Adventurers can navigate by taking bearings from the stars, landmarks (such as mountain ranges, tree formations, camps and so forth), or crude maps. Some have learned to look to the heavens for bearings, navigating the wilds by following a dotted map mirrored in the starry sky above.
At the start of each day of travel, have the navigator in the group make an appropriate check to determine whether they hold to their chosen course. The difficulty of the check depends on the terrain, weather, stars, and surrounding landmarks.
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Hard: Navigating through the wilderness without visible landmarks, adverse weather conditions, or veiled stars is a Hard challenge.
✦
Medium-Easy: Navigating with helpful conditions such as having specialist navigational tools, a clear starry night,
a local wayfarer guide, or traveling in terrain with recognizable landmarks is a Medium to Easy challenge.
✦
Adverse conditions: Some conditions can make navigation harder such as whiteouts, fog, snow storms, or snow blindness.
If the Navigation check succeeds, the navigator knows roughly where the party is on the map. If the check fails, the party becomes lost. Each hex on the map is surrounded by 6 other hexes; whenever a lost party moves 1 hex, roll a d6 to randomly determine which neighboring hex the party enters, and do not share this information with the players. Reveal the information only after the navigator succeeds on a subsequent check. If the heroes
spot a landmark in the distance, randomly roll or choose one from the table below.
d20 | Navigable Landmarks |
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1 | a totem (rare)
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2 | a mountain range or ravine
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3 | an unusually shaped or large rock formation
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4 | a formation of trees / forested area
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5 | a nomadic camp
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6 | a body of water (usually frozen)
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7 | A shooting star - See Wilderness Advantages
|
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8 | The Northern Star
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9 | A familiar star sign provides direction
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10 | Skeletal remains of a large animal
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Shelter and Sustenance
Venturing into the wilds for extended periods of time is not a simple feat. Finding shelter, keeping a fire going, keeping watch, foraging for food,
and maintaining primitive weapons and gear are challenging tasks, even for seasoned adventurers. Indeed, countless daring, now forgotten heroes have been consumed by the voracious cold teeth of The Maw.
Finding Shelter
Adventurers can actively search for shelter in the vicinity. Caves, grotto’s, crevices, nomadic camps, and other forms of shelter occasionally present themselves to the attentive explorer. Tracking these discoveries may prove crucial to survival and the success of future expeditions. Failing to find shelter exposes adventurers to the harsh cold temperatures, wind and hail storms, and make it difficult to keep a fire going.
Night time can prove especially dangerous, where deadly predators lurk the planes and haunting Ancestral spirits seek to avenge past wrongs in the mortal world. Even with good shelter, camping overnight can be a terrifying ordeal. With luck, the cloudy skies part to reveal the stars and constellations, providing help with navigation and deciphering the portents of future events.
Hunting and Foraging
Carrying large amounts of provisions is cumbersome and slows down travel. For this reason, many travelers rely on hunting and gathering for their sustenance during expeditions. Plant life tends to be very sparse, with the exception of some forested areas, swamps, and taigas. Creatures that can be hunted with basic weapons wander the wilds but are not abundant. Some of the larger monsters may turn the role hunter and hunted back on explorers. If not devoured by an Angler Behemoth or frozen to death, failure to procure enough food may leave adventurers prone to exhaustion and ultimately starvation.
Natural Hazards
Traversing the snowy wilderness of the Maw is hazardous. A myriad of complications can spell doom for adventuring expeditions, and the forces of nature are impartial and unforgiving. From whiteouts to snowblindness and lightning storms, surviving the barren tundra is heroic feat in itself.
Bring your savage world to life with some of the following natural hazards:
Altitude Effects - When scaling the high peaks of a majestic mountain range, adventurers have to deal with the effects of high altitude. High altitude can be incredibly fatiguing to characters not accustomed to it. Altitude ranges up to 5.000 feet have no effect other than the challenges of traversing difficult terrain.
Unless accustomed to elevations of 5.000 to 15.000 feet, characters will fatigue quickly, risking exhaustion, dizziness, and loss of consciousness.
Avalanche - Heavy snowfall from high mountain peaks and slopes can result in dangerous avalanches. Adventurers have a chance of spotting an oncoming avalanche from a distance (through sight or hearing) and alter their course to avoid
it. Depending on circumstances (favorable or unfavorable), the challenge to spot an avalanche is DC 15. Adventurers caught in the barrage of snow are wholly engulfed and take 3d8 bludgeoning damage, in addition, they begin to suffocate (SRD p. 86). Escaping from underneath the snow will take strength and agility.
Auroras - While a beautiful sight to behold, auroras can also have devastating effects on adventurers in the wild. Believed to be the work of upset or devious Ancestors, the colored lights in the sky disrupt the energy of the Prysm, resulting in erratic effects.
d20 | Aurora Effects |
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1-3 | Prysm crystals randomly take on a different color for a duration of 1d4 days.
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4-6 | Magic attracts 1d4 Ancestral creatures to appear in the mortal realm.
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7-9 | Magic in a 50 foot radius fails. Functions as a dispel magic effect.
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10-15 | Magic backfires on its caster, dealing 1d8 damage. DC18 Wisdom save to prevent.
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16-18 | Magic backfires on its caster, dealing 1d8 damage. DC18 Wisdom save to prevent.
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19-20 | Magic is amplified once. All effects such as range, damage, and duration are double.
|
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Delirium - Caused by the effects of high altitudes or prolonged exposure to cold, Delirium causes characters to have hallucinations which negatively affect all ability checks.
Frostrot - A mysterious plague wiped out
large parts of society several generations ago. Manifesting as a blackish-green blistering rot, many lost their lives to this infectious disease. Frostrot has not been encountered in recent years but people are still incredibly scared of it.
Frigid Water – Water this cold takes a toll on the body. Any character that spends more than one minute submerged risks taking 1d6 cold damage. This repeats at the beginning of each turn spent in the water after the first roll.
Fissures / Crevices – Falling snow can form a false ground over crevices in the maw. Loose snow can give way when too many players attempt to cross, or a player failing to notice the snow is giving way while they are on it.
Lightning Storm - Deep thunder preludes violent thunderstorms that illuminate the world briefly as flashes of lightning arc across the sky. Characters wearing metal objects in open terrain have a 5% chance of being struck by lightning, taking 8d6 damage when hit.
Snow Blindness - Even with the sun being a rare sight in this cold world,
Snow Blindness is still a real danger. Characters without proper eye protection that spend more than one hour out in the snow
in bright sunlight, risk getting
Snow Blindness. Characters affected by Snow Blindness take 1d8 damage per day and have penalties on sight and intelligence based checks caused by pounding headaches for the duration of their illness. Once per day, on a roll of 1-2 on a d20, the affected character risks becoming permanently blinded. The effects wear off after spending 1d4 days out of direct sunlight and taking long rests.
Snow Mirage - Prolonged exposure to the cold and blinding snow can result in seeing Snow Mirages. Some believe these phantom appearances to be the work of devious ancestral spirits, looking to lure adventurers to their doom.
Slippery Ice – Slippery icy surfaces can be incredibly dangerous and difficult to traverse. A character that moves at full speed across slippery ice needs to succeed at a Dexterity check each movement. Failing this skill check means the character starts sliding in a random direction
or falling prone. Moving at half speed removes some of the risks of sliding and adds +5 to your Dexterity roll.
Runic Traps - Natural caves and dungeons
in this world are riddled with mysterious and primitive carvings of unknown origins. Some are harmless depictions of historical events, others are dangerous traps.
Thin ice – Moving at full speed on thin ice will cause cracks to appear and require a save to avoid falling through. Players can avoid cracking the ice while moving at half speed. Taking actions on thin ice will cause cracks to appear on the ice, repeating an action on a cracked spot will require a roll to avoid falling through. Any jumps on thin ice will require a roll to avoid falling through when they land, on a failure they fall through.
Natural Boons
While the wilds are indeed hazardous and relentless, certain phenomenon and landmarks offer relief and benefits to clever explorers. Finding a
Sanctuary or
Windstill provide a welcome breath when hope and morale are low. Harnessing the powers of a
Prysm Conflux or
Totems can provide a strategic advantage, turning the tide in battle. The attuned ears of a Bard might pick up on the mystical melody of an
Auricular Manifestation nearby, presenting a chance to discover a new
Song of Passage or
Astral Portal.
Auricular Manifestation - Those attuned to the voice of the earth and Ethervale, such as Bards, can pick up on the many extraordinary auricular occurrences in the world. When deciphered, the mystical words, rhythms, and melodies can prove to be powerful
Songs of Passage. These allow travel to special locations in the Ethervale and mortal world. Other
Auricular Manifestations, when deciphered into sonant words, unlock a powerful blessing for the party. The blessing comes as healing, protection against the elements, or other effects.
Totems - Totems come in many shapes and sizes, usually offering a martial benefit to those who can unlock its powers. Giant stone monoliths inscribed with powerful ancient runes can temporarily boost physical characteristics such as strength, constitution, or barbaric rage. Others, such as
a mossy spire of twisted arcane wood can aide Druids in performing their spells, amplifying their abilities. Some totems require allegiance to a certain god or constellation in order to unlock the power within. Totems are not always clearly recognizable and may require special skill to identify them and learn the powers they hold.
Prysm Conflux - A convergence of Prysm energy boosts magical effects and spells in an area. Prysm Conflux areas often converge in caves, mountain gorges, and shadowy crevices. Others confluxes form around mystical pillars that act as a conduit. At the GM's discretion, spellcasters have a chance to sense the presence of a Prysm Conflux.
Windstill - Weather manifesting through magic, the influence of benevolent Ancestors, or just a natural occurrence. In addition, wind still areas
make it easier to keep a fire going, recover, and heal from harsh wilderness travels.
Sanctuary - Dotting the wilds in various forms, sanctuaries offer adventurers a safe haven to rest and recuperate. Some take the form of a small shrine, where those born under the same star sign can receive a blessing. Others are caves with an ever-burning fire or tribal camps that harbor wary travelers in need. Sanctuaries are often erected or tended by Paladins and Clerics. Characters visiting a Sanctuary may recover their full hitpoints and spell slots, as if fully rested.
Vantage Points - In expansive stretches of wilderness, an excellent view of the surrounding landscape can prove invaluable. Vantage points are essential in navigating, mapmaking, spotting dangers, and changes in weather. Some vantage points reveal areas of interest otherwise hidden from view; at the GM’s discretion characters can spot creatures and other dangers in a 15-mile radius, and forecast weather conditions for 1d8 hours.
Shooting Stars - A shooting star is seen as a sign from the gods or ancestors. It is believed to signify an important event, revelation, or pointing to a specific location. When spotted, and at the GM’s discretion, you may reveal a valuable hint to
the players that benefit their quest. Treat it as a successful Navigation skill check.
Sunlight - Moments of clear skies and sunlight are precious and rare. Nights and overcast weather can seem to stretch on eternally, but when the sun does breakthrough it is a glorious moment. Characters spending 2 rounds in sunlight experience the warm relief, count as having had a long rest, restoring hitpoints and spell slots.
The Movement of the Heavens
Unlike typical fantasy campaign settings with predictable day and night patterns, our world is driven by the chaotic firmament above, and the waxing and waning of dusk. The mystical welkin is ever changing and bears no fixed celestial objects, save for one:
The Northern Star. The sky changes almost every night, bringing with it portents, both fair and foul.
Some believe the tides of night and day are dependant on the time of year, disposition of
the ancestors, or even the will of the divines. Adventurers will need to utilize their skills to traverse the wilds without getting lost, interpeting portents through starsigns, omens in spiritual manifestations and more. Instead of relying on fixed celestial bodies, navigating the wilderness relies on learning envorinment landmarks, omens, animal movements and instinct. Indeed, many events that occur within the world are driven by or can be predicted through star signs in the obsidian depths of the night sky.
During the night hours, parts of the world give way to another plane of existence - the Ethervale. This realm is one filled with wondrous locales and untold numbers of spirits that are collectively known as the Ancestrals. Some areas can be traveled by anyone who happens to discover them, others are only accessible through
Portals and
Astral Gateways.
The Arrival of Dawn
Twilight can sometimes stretch on for days, or be pierced by a sudden sunrise that lasts only for a few hours. When dawn does come, it often brings the savage fury of powerful storms - blizzards that obscure sight and bury landmarks. Torrents of sleet cover the exposed landscape beneath a thick blanket of ice and blowing winds bring icy shards that scour stone and ravage bare flesh. Moments of calm weather and warm sunlight are rare and precious, seen as a gift from the gods; approval of the actions of man.
When dawn arrives, roll on the table below to generate an effect, or choose one that suits your story.
d20 | Dawnbreak Events |
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1-3 | Dawn does not arrive. Roll a result on the **Weather Conditions Table**.
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4-6 | Dawn breaks with heavy Razor Hail.
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7-10 | Dawn arrives, but thick gray clouds cover the sun.
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11-15 | Mysts creep up from the wilderness, hampering vision and navigation.
|
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16-17 | Dawn arrives. Clear skies.
|
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18-20 | Calm dawn, clouds part, and the sun breaks through momentarily. See Sunlight.
|
|
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