Enchanted Realms Rulebook
Other Ways To Die
Because there is the metric of Body points, there is the temptation to think this is used to explain all the ways to die. However, it is merely a measurement of one’s theoretical resistance to wounding prior to suffering a vital one. Thus, it does not translate well to all circumstances. When a PC is drowning, Body points are not being lost really; no wounds are occurring, making the metric a poor measure of the death threat.
Asphyxiation
Dehydration
Starvation
Falling
Petrification
Asphyxiation
| Score | Rounds / Turns |
|---|---|
| 1-4 | 1 |
| 5-8 | 2 |
| 9-20 | 3 |
| 20-35 | 4 |
| 36-50 | 5 |
| 51-75 | 6 |
| 76-100 | 7 |
| 101-150 | 8 |
| 150-200 | 9 |
| 201+ | 10 |
A character can hold his or her breath for the number of rounds/turns equal to one-half (round down) his or her Resilience score plus the Resilience modifier. Thus, if Resilience is currently 12 points, then the person has seven rounds (just a little over a minute) before the effects of not breathing begin. In this example, if underwater or caught within a non-magical gas, then the victim would have 7 actions to free oneself before its body forcefully attempts to reach for air. While holding one’s breath, no cantrips, axioms or divine powers can be used unless capable of being cast in silence. A further restriction is that all attacks, saves, check and maneuvers are rolled at disadvantage while one’s breath is being held.
However, at the end of the victim’s turn of available actions to reach breathable air, one can no longer hold its breath and the need for air becomes uncontrollable. It is at this point when asphyxiation begins. When asphyxiating, the victim remains under all the same restrictions as if holding one’s breath, but additionally, movement rate becomes like that of crawling and any attacks against the creature are at advantage. Further, the victim will breath in the environment around it.
Should the air be an alchemical gas or something other that forces a save, then an automatic failed save against the effect occurs. If the external atmosphere is such that might inflict actual Body damage, it will occur; e.g., if on the elemental plane of fire. If underwater while gulping and gasping, then the being would be drowning. Some air is not deadly but only a carrier of an effect. However, most cases will cause asphyxiation. If unbreathable, a creature can only survive a limited amount of time without fit air. The period is based off the creature’s current Body score and found in the chart to the side.
If able to find breathable air again before reaching the maximum number of rounds of asphyxiation, then the creature returns to the restrictions as if holding its breath for the number of rounds it experienced the asphyxiation -- coughing and gasping. However, if unable to reach breathable air when the maximum number of rounds expire, then the victim’s Body score becomes zero, and the state of unconsciousness results. At the start of each subsequent turn, the victim must begin making Death Save. If failing the save, the creature suffers a point of damage, delving deeper into the score of negative Body points. Pain also increases. If the death save succeeds, then no point is suffered. However, whether succeeding or failing, the character cannot become stable in an airless environment; thus, the need to make the Death Saves will continue and will die upon reaching the critical negative value.
Should a creature be saved with a negative Body value through an asphyxiation event and able to breath viable air again, then it is a near death experience with all recovery as serious and with like penalties as being wounded into negative values.
Dehydration
Water is required to survive. Roughly a half-gallon per day is needed. If exposed to direct sunlight for most of the day or the temperature is over 80, then a whole gallon of water would be required. Of course, a triton character would need twice this amount. When rivers, streams, canteens, etc. are available, this measure is unnecessary. However, when water is scarce, the effects on a person may have to be factored in game play.
Whenever a creature spends a day with less than half the water requirement, then one unit of under-hydration is tracked. If a creature spends an entire day with no water, then two units are suffered. As the units accrue, this is calculated as a negative-temporary point per unit accrued. When applying the under-hydration unit, an attribute, Body, Mind or Spirit, is selected at random and lowered by the as one point per unit applied from the max value. To be clear, these negative-temporary points lower the effective maximum value of the attribute. If Body is selected and the max value is 13, and the character went without any water that day, then the max value effectively becomes 11. Further, each time one of the attributes is adjusted, one point of the associated Pain, Anxiety or Spite is also added.
One day of normal hydration will remove a negative-temporary point. If there are multiple attributes down from dehydration, then after the end of day, one is selected randomly to be restored. Conversely, if a max-value reaches zero, then the creature dies.
Starvation
Medium-sized creatures need about a pound of food daily, while small ones need only half the amount. When calculating a day’s provision, one day’s worth can feed two small creatures. Typically, this is not a concern; however, if the storyline enters a malnutrition arc, here is what happens as a result.
If eating less than the required amount for the day, then after three-consecutive days of malnutrition, a negative-temporary point is inflicted against one of the character’s attribute max scores (the same as dehydration). Pain, Anxiety or Spite will also be likewise increased. In addition, for each five consecutive days of not eating, an additional point of Pain is specifically added above and beyond other penalties. A normal day of eating will remove a negative-temporary point; however, the recovery from starvation is not as difficult as dehydration. For starvation, all attributes recover simultaneously each day of eating. Nonetheless, like dehydration, if any max score is reduced to zero, the creature will die.
Falling
| Height | Agility TM | Successful Save | Failed Save | Injury Die |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Below 8 feet | 10 | n/a | Prone | n/a |
| 10 feet (8 to 17) | 10 | 1d4 1 Pain | d6+2 1 Pain | d4 |
| 20 feet (18 to 27) | 11 | 2d4 1 Pain | 2d6+3 2 Pain | d6 |
| 30 feet (28 to 37) | 12 | 3d4 2 Pain | 3d6+4 d4+1 Pain | d8 |
| 40 feet (38 to 47) | 13 | 4d4 3 Pain | 4d6+5 d4+2 Pain | d10 |
| 50 feet (48+) | 14 | 5d4 4 Pain | 5d6+6 d4+3 Pain | d12 |
Falling is another potentially harmful occurrences which will happen. Characters and monsters can be seriously injured from falling damage - and in ways beyond body points. For each ten feet of falling, the crashing being must make an Agility save (TM:10); however, for each compounded ten feet fallen, the TM for each die roll becomes a point higher and the damage increases.
If successful on the original Agility save, then use the table to the right to determine damage. If failing the save, the worse column formula is used to determine damage from the fall. Unless specified differently, any damage inflicted from a fall will be blunt damage. However, falling into a pit of spikes would be ruled by the GM as piercing damage. Furthermore, any damage from a fall occurs simultaneously. Thus, any resistance would be against the entire amount rather than each single die. Usually no further damage will be inflicted; however, a pit of spikes trap might be built in such a way that the spikes inflict damage beyond the mere fall damage.
| Injury Roll | Result |
|---|---|
| 1 | Movement reduced by 10ft for 24 hrs |
| 2 | Physical attacks at disadvantage for 24 hrs |
| 3 | Unable to use off-hand (shield) for 24 hrs |
| 4 | Bleed d3 points per round until tended/healed |
| 5 | Disadvantage on all Body-based saves for 24 hrs |
| 6 | Death Saves at disadvantage for 24 hrs |
| 7 | Deafened for 3d8 hrs |
| 8 | Blinded for 3d8 hrs |
| 9+ | Rendered unconscious for d6 hrs |
Moreover, if the result of the fall lowers the creature’s current Body score below half of one's Body max-score (even if only one point of damage incurred), then rolling on the injury table is also required. However, the proper die should be rolled for the injury table based on the height of the fall. If less than 8 feet, then no injury will occur; however, from 10 feet and higher a different die from d4 to d12 will be used to determine the severity of the injury from the fall.
As one can tell from the damage and associated injuries, the threat of a fall is a serious matter which can kill or serious harm an individual.
Petrification
Any creature who becomes subject to petrification must fail a series of saves before suffering the permanent fate. Special cases may deviate from this rule, but those must be explicitly stated by a description or monster's details. The target must succeed a Resilience save (TM:13) to avoid the effect. If succeeding, then the total effect is avoided. However, on a failed save, a target begins to turn to stone and is immediately under the restrained restriction. After the first save failed, then at the end of the target's next turn, it must repeat the save, which the GM may choose to have the player roll in secret to prevent the other players from knowing the fate. If failing this one, then permanent petrification will occur. However, if successful on this second save, the victim is able to continue fighting the effect. Initially, the victim will be become petrified but not quite completely. All the restrictions are as if turned to stone; however, the petrification effect will only be temporary and will fade from the target in 2d4 rounds. Lastly, unless stated otherwise, subjecting a petrified victim (even those affected temporarily) to another petrification effect is moot.