Scorching Moon
A burning omen blazes across the heavens. This orb, enshrouded in incendiary wrath, known as the Scorching Moon, bathes the world beneath it in a torrent of seething flames, its fury manifesting in a maelstrom of fire and smoke engulfing Luyanha. Yet, a treacherous deception hides amongst the infernal spectacle. In this tempest of fire and destruction, most of the flames are mere illusions, ephemeral embers that confound and disorient the unwary. These roaring flames, like the phantasmal tendrils of some cosmic leviathan, seem to reach out for the living. However, within this dance of false flames, genuine infernos are birthed, scorching and consuming those who fail to discern the difference.
When the Scorching Moon is visible, the following effects apply to the world.
Monsters gain resistance to fire damage; if they already have this resistance, they become immune to fire damage instead.
Their melee weapon attacks deal extra fire damage equal to their CR (minimum of 1).
Beasts gain the following trait:
Fire Charge: If the monster moves at least 20 feet straight toward a creature and then hits it with a melee attack on the same turn, that target must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw (DC = Trait DC + monster's Strength modifier) or be knocked prone and take fire damage equal to the Trait Damage (see table below).
The world is engulfed in the flames of the Scorching Moon. Soot and searing heat fill the air. Illusory fires are visible everywhere, lighting the night in orange flames, in sharp contrast to the black sky. These illusions hide real flames that devour those who aren't careful.
Columns of fire erupt from the ground. For each hour that passes, roll a d6. On a roll of 1, a column appears under the party. Each member of the party must succeed on a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw or take fire damage equal to their level. If a creature has encountered the Scorching Moon before, it can attempt a DC 14 Survival check instead of the Dexterity saving throw, avoiding the real flames and only passing through the illusory ones.
If a creature travels at a slow pace (as per the travel rules), it gains advantage on these ability checks and saving throws and can make the Survival check even if it has never encountered the Scorching Moon before.
The madness section of each moon refers to a Madness DC, which is indicated in the following table.
The flames stoke the madness within. If a character takes fire damage equal to their level or higher in a single turn, they must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw against the Madness DC or gain one short-term madness.
Whenever a character gains a short-term madness under the Scorching Moon, their body catches fire and they take 1d4 fire damage at the start of each of their turns. Additionally, their melee attacks deal an extra 1d4 fire damage on a hit. The fire ends if the character or a creature within 5 feet of them uses an action to douse them, or after 1 minute.
Whenever a character gains a long-term madness under the Scorching Moon, they feel the flames calling them for as long as the Scorching Moon is out. Whenever they see an open flame larger than 1-foot in diameter (such as a bonfire but not a torch), they must make a Wisdom saving throw against the Madness DC or become charmed by the flame.
While charmed in this way, the creature is incapacitated and has a speed of 0. The effect ends on a creature if it takes any damage or if someone else uses an action to shake the creature out of its stupor. If a creature's saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to being charmed by that flame for the next 24 hours.
A character that gains an indefinite madness under the Scorching Moon has their soul seared.
Roll a d100:on a result of 33 or lower, the character gains resistance to fire damage
on a result of 34 or higher, the character gains vulnerability to fire damage. This effect lasts until that madness is cured.
When the Scorching Moon is visible, the following effects apply to the world.
Monsters
Beasts gain the following trait:
Fire Charge: If the monster moves at least 20 feet straight toward a creature and then hits it with a melee attack on the same turn, that target must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw (DC = Trait DC + monster's Strength modifier) or be knocked prone and take fire damage equal to the Trait Damage (see table below).
Monster CR
Trait DC
Trait Damage
≤2
10
1d6
3-4
11
1d8
5-6
12
1d10
7-8
13
2d6
9-10
14
3d6
11-12
15
4d6
13-16
16
5d6
17-20
17
6d6
21+
18
7d6
Travel
The world is engulfed in the flames of the Scorching Moon. Soot and searing heat fill the air. Illusory fires are visible everywhere, lighting the night in orange flames, in sharp contrast to the black sky. These illusions hide real flames that devour those who aren't careful.
Columns of fire erupt from the ground. For each hour that passes, roll a d6. On a roll of 1, a column appears under the party. Each member of the party must succeed on a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw or take fire damage equal to their level. If a creature has encountered the Scorching Moon before, it can attempt a DC 14 Survival check instead of the Dexterity saving throw, avoiding the real flames and only passing through the illusory ones.
If a creature travels at a slow pace (as per the travel rules), it gains advantage on these ability checks and saving throws and can make the Survival check even if it has never encountered the Scorching Moon before.
Madness
The madness section of each moon refers to a Madness DC, which is indicated in the following table.
Average Party Level
Madness DC
1-4
11
5-8
13
9-12
15
13-16
17
17-20
20
21+
21
The flames stoke the madness within. If a character takes fire damage equal to their level or higher in a single turn, they must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw against the Madness DC or gain one short-term madness.
Short-Term
Whenever a character gains a short-term madness under the Scorching Moon, their body catches fire and they take 1d4 fire damage at the start of each of their turns. Additionally, their melee attacks deal an extra 1d4 fire damage on a hit. The fire ends if the character or a creature within 5 feet of them uses an action to douse them, or after 1 minute.
Long-Term
Whenever a character gains a long-term madness under the Scorching Moon, they feel the flames calling them for as long as the Scorching Moon is out. Whenever they see an open flame larger than 1-foot in diameter (such as a bonfire but not a torch), they must make a Wisdom saving throw against the Madness DC or become charmed by the flame.
While charmed in this way, the creature is incapacitated and has a speed of 0. The effect ends on a creature if it takes any damage or if someone else uses an action to shake the creature out of its stupor. If a creature's saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to being charmed by that flame for the next 24 hours.
Indefinite
A character that gains an indefinite madness under the Scorching Moon has their soul seared.
Roll a d100:
Type
Metaphysical, Supernatural
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