Composer99
2021-07-16, 10:04 AM
I would like to have some dangerous fumes and vapours as potential hazards in the game.
Here are some common ones:
- firedamp is the mining term for accumulations of combustible gases.
- blackdamp is the mining term for accumulations of asphyxiant gases; when encountered on the surface, blackdamp is known as mazuku (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mazuku).
- whitedamp is the mining term for toxic gases such as carbon monoxide.
- stinkdamp is the mining term for toxic, smelly gases such as hydrogen sulphide; pockets of stinkdamp on the surface would likely be called sour gas.
(Hydrogen sulphide is often also a component of whitedamp, I'm led to understand, but for the purpose of the game, I think we would treat whitedamp as consisting of gases that aren't perceptible save through their effects on living things, and stinkdamp as gases that are perceptible via characteristic odours - such as the classic rotten-eggs smell of hydrogen sulphide.)
As a somewhat more fantastic touch, I'm going to add a "damp" that is corrosive, causing ongoing damage, and a blinding "damp".
(Any suggestions for names would be appreciated.)
Hazardous Fumes, Vapours, and Gases
These fumes and vapours are most commonly encountered in subterranean environments. They can also be found in low-lying areas on the surface as long as their constituent fumes are heavier than air, especially in regions known for volcanic activity. On rare occasions, volcanic activity can release deadly plumes of these gases.
A moderate wind can disperse a pocket of hazardous fumes and vapours in 1d4 hours, and a strong wind can do so in 1d10 minutes.
Blackdamp
Blackdamp is an accumulation of asphyxiating fumes and vapours. When encountered on the surface, it is often known as mazuku or [name]. Blackdamp is usually imperceptible until it begins affecting its victims.
A creature that needs to breathe must make a DC 17 Constitution saving throw upon entering an area of blackdamp and at the start of each minute it spends in the area until it fails three saving throws. These failed saves need not be consecutive: the creature continues to make saving throws until it collects three failures. Once such a creature fails its first saving throw, it gains one level of exhaustion that lasts as long as the creature is within the area and is removed 1 hour after the creature leaves the area. Once the creature fails three saving throws, it begins to suffocate, using the rules in the Player's Handbook.
I like the Swahili loanword, but just as one might choose to use "tidal wave" in lieu of the loanword tsunami for... well, for tsunami, one might want to have a term that isn't the loanword.
Blinddamp
Blinddamp is an accumulation of acrid fumes and vapours that irritate the eyes of creatures. When encountered on the surface, it is often known as blind vapour.
A creature with eyes must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw upon entering an area of blinddamp and at the start of each hour it spends in the area. Once such a creature fails a saving throw, it is blinded until it spends at least 1 hour outside of the area. A creature that fails eight such saving throws is blinded permanently or until magic is used to restore its sight. These failures need not be consecutive: the creature continues to make saving throws until it collects eight failures.
Blisterdamp
Blisterdamp is an accumulation of corrosive fumes and vapours. When encountered on the surface, it is often known as foul vapour or even "soul-hunting" gas. Pockets of blisterdamp can occur in noxious or lethal concentrations.
A creature that isn't immune to acid damage must make a DC 17 Constitution saving throw when it enters an area of noxious blisterdamp and at the start of each hour it spends in the area, taking 1d6 acid damage on a failed save or half as much damage on a successful save.
A creature that isn't immune to acid damage must make a DC 17 Constitution saving throw when it enters an area of lethal blisterdamp for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there, taking 1d6 acid damage on a failed save or half as much damage on a successful save.
Firedamp
Firedamp is an accumulation of combustible fumes and vapours. When encountered on the surface, it is often known as [name].
Firedamp may or may not be perceptible: there is a 50% chance that any given pocket of firedamp can be identified by odour up to 300 feet away from where it is concentrated enough to combust.
An open flame, spark, or casting a spell that deals fire damage or ignites objects on fire can cause a pocket of firedamp to explode. The effect is similar to a fireball cast as a 3rd-level spell (save DC 15), except that the area of effect is the entire pocket of firedamp, rather than the standard area of a fireball. Also unlike fireball, the explosion can damage the surrounding floor or ground, walls, and ceiling, and even cause a cave-in or collapse.
I think it would be neat to have a distinct name for this hazard when encountered on the surface that has an old-timey feel. Maybe my Google-fu is weak, but I didn't find one in common use already.
Whitedamp
Whitedamp is an accumulation of noxious fumes and vapours. It is commonly encountered in mines and subterranean environments, and in low-lying areas on the surface, where it is known as [name]. Whitedamp is usually imperceptible until it begins affecting its victims.
A creature that needs to breathe must make a DC 17 Constitution saving throw upon entering an area of whitedamp and at the start of each hour it spends in the area. Each time it fails a saving throw, it gains one level of exhaustion. A creature that has failed one or more saving throws is poisoned until it finishes a long rest while outside of the area.
Again, having a distinct name for whitedamp on the surface might be nice. Again, I'm not aware of one already existing. Carbon monoxide has a few synonyms that might work.
Stinkdamp: Stinkdamp is similar to whitedamp, save that it is perceptible by means of some characteristic odour, most often a rotten-egg stink. When encountered on the surface, stinkdamp is known as sour gas. Creatures with a sense of smell can perceive the odour of stinkdamp up to 300 feet away from an area of dangerous concentration of the gas, or up to 600 feet away if they have a keen sense of smell.
Less lethal concentrations of whitedamp or stinkdamp might have an effect similar to the stinking cloud spell.
Plumes of Hazardous Vapours
Regions of volcanic activity can sometimes possess accumulations of hazardous fumes and vapours. Some stagnant bodies of water can have such accumulations as well, the result of microbes living in anoxic conditions. Earthquakes and other events can sometimes displace these accumulations, causing them to emerge in plumes of deadly gases. Such a plume can be quite large, often forming a sphere hundreds or thousands of feet in radius. Blackdamp is the most common constituent of such a plume, and firedamp is encountered least ofen.
Such plumes tend to be larger and more resistant to dispersion as a result of wind: a moderate wind pushes such a plume in the wind's direction without dispersing it, and a strong wind also pushes the plume along before eventually causing it to disperse after 1d6 hours.
When a plume of hazardous gases crosses paths with vulnerable creatures, they are affected as if traveling through a pocket of the same gas.
Here are some common ones:
- firedamp is the mining term for accumulations of combustible gases.
- blackdamp is the mining term for accumulations of asphyxiant gases; when encountered on the surface, blackdamp is known as mazuku (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mazuku).
- whitedamp is the mining term for toxic gases such as carbon monoxide.
- stinkdamp is the mining term for toxic, smelly gases such as hydrogen sulphide; pockets of stinkdamp on the surface would likely be called sour gas.
(Hydrogen sulphide is often also a component of whitedamp, I'm led to understand, but for the purpose of the game, I think we would treat whitedamp as consisting of gases that aren't perceptible save through their effects on living things, and stinkdamp as gases that are perceptible via characteristic odours - such as the classic rotten-eggs smell of hydrogen sulphide.)
As a somewhat more fantastic touch, I'm going to add a "damp" that is corrosive, causing ongoing damage, and a blinding "damp".
(Any suggestions for names would be appreciated.)
Hazardous Fumes, Vapours, and Gases
These fumes and vapours are most commonly encountered in subterranean environments. They can also be found in low-lying areas on the surface as long as their constituent fumes are heavier than air, especially in regions known for volcanic activity. On rare occasions, volcanic activity can release deadly plumes of these gases.
A moderate wind can disperse a pocket of hazardous fumes and vapours in 1d4 hours, and a strong wind can do so in 1d10 minutes.
Blackdamp
Blackdamp is an accumulation of asphyxiating fumes and vapours. When encountered on the surface, it is often known as mazuku or [name]. Blackdamp is usually imperceptible until it begins affecting its victims.
A creature that needs to breathe must make a DC 17 Constitution saving throw upon entering an area of blackdamp and at the start of each minute it spends in the area until it fails three saving throws. These failed saves need not be consecutive: the creature continues to make saving throws until it collects three failures. Once such a creature fails its first saving throw, it gains one level of exhaustion that lasts as long as the creature is within the area and is removed 1 hour after the creature leaves the area. Once the creature fails three saving throws, it begins to suffocate, using the rules in the Player's Handbook.
I like the Swahili loanword, but just as one might choose to use "tidal wave" in lieu of the loanword tsunami for... well, for tsunami, one might want to have a term that isn't the loanword.
Blinddamp
Blinddamp is an accumulation of acrid fumes and vapours that irritate the eyes of creatures. When encountered on the surface, it is often known as blind vapour.
A creature with eyes must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw upon entering an area of blinddamp and at the start of each hour it spends in the area. Once such a creature fails a saving throw, it is blinded until it spends at least 1 hour outside of the area. A creature that fails eight such saving throws is blinded permanently or until magic is used to restore its sight. These failures need not be consecutive: the creature continues to make saving throws until it collects eight failures.
Blisterdamp
Blisterdamp is an accumulation of corrosive fumes and vapours. When encountered on the surface, it is often known as foul vapour or even "soul-hunting" gas. Pockets of blisterdamp can occur in noxious or lethal concentrations.
A creature that isn't immune to acid damage must make a DC 17 Constitution saving throw when it enters an area of noxious blisterdamp and at the start of each hour it spends in the area, taking 1d6 acid damage on a failed save or half as much damage on a successful save.
A creature that isn't immune to acid damage must make a DC 17 Constitution saving throw when it enters an area of lethal blisterdamp for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there, taking 1d6 acid damage on a failed save or half as much damage on a successful save.
Firedamp
Firedamp is an accumulation of combustible fumes and vapours. When encountered on the surface, it is often known as [name].
Firedamp may or may not be perceptible: there is a 50% chance that any given pocket of firedamp can be identified by odour up to 300 feet away from where it is concentrated enough to combust.
An open flame, spark, or casting a spell that deals fire damage or ignites objects on fire can cause a pocket of firedamp to explode. The effect is similar to a fireball cast as a 3rd-level spell (save DC 15), except that the area of effect is the entire pocket of firedamp, rather than the standard area of a fireball. Also unlike fireball, the explosion can damage the surrounding floor or ground, walls, and ceiling, and even cause a cave-in or collapse.
I think it would be neat to have a distinct name for this hazard when encountered on the surface that has an old-timey feel. Maybe my Google-fu is weak, but I didn't find one in common use already.
Whitedamp
Whitedamp is an accumulation of noxious fumes and vapours. It is commonly encountered in mines and subterranean environments, and in low-lying areas on the surface, where it is known as [name]. Whitedamp is usually imperceptible until it begins affecting its victims.
A creature that needs to breathe must make a DC 17 Constitution saving throw upon entering an area of whitedamp and at the start of each hour it spends in the area. Each time it fails a saving throw, it gains one level of exhaustion. A creature that has failed one or more saving throws is poisoned until it finishes a long rest while outside of the area.
Again, having a distinct name for whitedamp on the surface might be nice. Again, I'm not aware of one already existing. Carbon monoxide has a few synonyms that might work.
Stinkdamp: Stinkdamp is similar to whitedamp, save that it is perceptible by means of some characteristic odour, most often a rotten-egg stink. When encountered on the surface, stinkdamp is known as sour gas. Creatures with a sense of smell can perceive the odour of stinkdamp up to 300 feet away from an area of dangerous concentration of the gas, or up to 600 feet away if they have a keen sense of smell.
Less lethal concentrations of whitedamp or stinkdamp might have an effect similar to the stinking cloud spell.
Plumes of Hazardous Vapours
Regions of volcanic activity can sometimes possess accumulations of hazardous fumes and vapours. Some stagnant bodies of water can have such accumulations as well, the result of microbes living in anoxic conditions. Earthquakes and other events can sometimes displace these accumulations, causing them to emerge in plumes of deadly gases. Such a plume can be quite large, often forming a sphere hundreds or thousands of feet in radius. Blackdamp is the most common constituent of such a plume, and firedamp is encountered least ofen.
Such plumes tend to be larger and more resistant to dispersion as a result of wind: a moderate wind pushes such a plume in the wind's direction without dispersing it, and a strong wind also pushes the plume along before eventually causing it to disperse after 1d6 hours.
When a plume of hazardous gases crosses paths with vulnerable creatures, they are affected as if traveling through a pocket of the same gas.