Hazardous Duty (CB)

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Precious little has been said concerning the hazards of Temporal Prime, since an overall understanding of the pseudo-reality was necessary before most of them could be discussed. Temporal Prime has much more than different physical laws. It possesses natural hazards, many unique creatures, and gateways to others planes and worlds.
==Creatures==
Temporal Prime has a stable ecosystem that is fairly hostile to the adventuring chronomancer. A few of the creatures are neutral or even friendly, but for the most part, avoidance or combat is recommended.
===Tempsynth===
Tempsynth. The bottom of the food chain on Temporal Prime is a communal organism known as tempsynth. It can be found coating the lifelines in patches, the larger ones appearing on bright silver lines, and it could be taken for a vegetable growth if not studied closely. It resembles a mold the color of beeswax. The entire patch moves along a lifeline, and if it meets another patch, they swirl about and reform in a patch half again the size of the smaller. It is impossible to tell whether this is due to their way of assembling or if there is a microscopic battle going on with the losing members reluctantly joining the ranks of the victors.
Tempsynth is not described as a monster, as it has no aggressive properties and apparently feeds only on arcane emanations from the lifeline. No evidence has been found to indicate that it harms the lifeline's owner.
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===Temporal Mite===
Temporal Mite. Another relatively harmless, albeit annoying creature, this parasitic insect exists on Temporal Prime and can be carried into reality. If it becomes separated from its host while in reality, the mite dies.
Temporal mites exist among the lifelines, traveling in small swarms (1d10 + 10) and feeding off of the temporal forces that bleed into Temporal Prime from reality. When linear creatures are nearby, the mites fasten themselves to them where they cannot be seen. There is only a 20% chance that they are detected without a careful search.
When mites are encountered, roll 1d4-1 for the number that attach to each creature. Once attached, the mites feed on the linear creature's interaction with time. Afflicted creatures behave as if under a Wesley's temporal disjunction spell (see page 47) until all mites are found and removed.
==Combat==
Ability Scores. The normal bonuses to Armor Class for Dexterity do not apply here, since the mind controls all action. Instead, nimbleness is related to Wisdom, and the normal scale for AC bonuses is applied using that ability score (for example, a Wisdom of 18 grants -4 to AC). Strength bonuses are apparently unaffected, since Wisdom directs movement instead of powering it.
Initiative. Regular initiative is still used, with the following exceptions. The modifier for higher ground is nonexistent due to the ability to reorient gravity. There is a foreign environment penalty for those who are not native to Temporal Prime and have not spent 24 hours there. Other modifiers can be added or stricken at the DM's judgment.
Ranged Attacks. Any thrown or mechanically launched object ceases traveling the instant it loses contact with the creature's field. Magical items are excepted, as they have a special link to reality; they work normally. Due to the lack of gravity, however, they do not stop until they hit something.
A breath weapon or similar effect does not lose its momentum, since it remains a part of the creature's field. Ranged magical attacks, such as magic missiles or spiritual hammers, still succeed, since their movement is magical.
This limits ranged fighting severely and places the advantage with spellcasters. Since most travelers of Temporal Prime are spellcasters or have a spellcaster with them, this advantage often evens out. Attacking a creature from range grants no experience points unless this creature has a fair chance to somehow return the attack.
Combat Modifiers. The modifiers for higher ground and being off-balance do not exist due to the lack of gravity. If there is a way to see beyond 60 feet, the penalties for both medium- and long-range missiles are dropped, since a straight line path can be established by magical weapons, and there are no problems with drop or wind factor.
==Natural Hazards==
Temporal Prime has some natural hazards that do not need teeth or claw to injure the unwary chronomancer. Vortices and maelstroms fall into this category, as do the strands, and though timestorms exist only in reality, they deserve coverage here, too.
Vortices are favorite homes for the Temporal Prime's denizens, mostly because these phenomena tend to draw fresh supplies of imported nourishment, namely chronomancers. The base chance of a vortex harboring some type of creature is 50%. This makes any vortex, even the smallest one, potentially hazardous, and there is a +10% modifier for each spiral pattern the vortex possesses.
Also, the energy wall of a vortex cannot be passed through without incurring damage. Normally, you walk through one from circumference to spout in a spiral pattern along the wall, or if leaving the vortex, straight up the wall. Passing through the wall creates an effect similar to chain lightning but with double the range for the subsequent bolts.
Maelstroms contain several vortices and are correspondingly more dangerous. The base chance for an encounter in these is 75%. The anchor vortices always contain at least one creature, even if it's harmless. Maelstroms maintain large concentrations of temporal creatures and, in one case, Guardians.
Maelstroms also have an interesting effect on the stability of Temporal Prime. The severe disruption to the momentum of time results in several random effects. Once the border of a maelstrom is crossed, there is a 10% chance per turn of one of the following spell effects (decide randomly) affecting the chronomancer for the normal duration: precognitive sense, time snare, minor paradox, slow, Wesley's temporal disjunction, or time stop.
===Strands===
Strands. Hidden in the mist-smoke of Temporal Prime are some of the largest nuisances to a chronomancer and a source of possibly great danger: strands. Most strands are invisible, and the 10% that are visible appear as small white threads, 1-6 inches long. They drift along in the mist-smoke and are extremely adhesive, fastening to any organic substance they touch that is not native to Temporal Prime. Armor or clothing is penetrated as if it doesn't exist, and the strands do not feel sticky or restrict movement. Strands travel in strand packs (small patches of 1d6 strands) and strand clouds (6d6 strands) that sweep through time-streams and voids with catastrophic effect. When strands are encountered, a quick check on Table 13 can determine their formation.
 Table 13: Strand Formations
Roll	Formation
1-5 	Strand pack (1d6)
6 	Strand cloud (6d6)
Strands appear on the random encounter tables on page 38. If a single strand or a strand pack is encountered, it is assumed to automatically fasten to one of the characters. If a strand cloud is encountered, up to 6 strands can fasten to each character. Determine randomly who the first character is to be affected, and roll 1d6 for the number of strands. Sweep the cloud along the marching order of the group until all characters are snatched up by the strands or all the strands are used.
Strands have two main effects. The first is a tendency to mess up travel between Temporal Prime and reality. A creature with strands that tries to timeslip or use a slipgate must make a Wisdom check with a -1 modifier for every strand fastened to it. This check is made with each attempt. If the modifiers are equal to or greater than the creature's Wisdom, travel to reality is impossible until the strands have been dealt with. If the creature finally forces through into reality, the strands dissipate, but the creature is thrown 5d4 rounds into the future for every strand fastened to it. If several creatures are in a group, only the ones with strands are thrown forward.
The second effect of strands can be even more of a problem. Though fastened to a creature, they still wish to continue to travel with the mist-smoke, and they steadily pull downstream. If the creature is traveling upstream or directly cross-stream, deduct -1 from its Wisdom for movement purposes. If traveling downstream, add +1 to its Wisdom for the same purposes. The rule concerning traveling at the speed of the creature with the slowest Wisdom still applies, so if traveling upstream, the whole group is affected, while the downstream bonus probably means nothing.
Once the creature has acquired a number of strands equal to its Wisdom, the effect is like a dam finally bursting and letting all the water pour forth. The creature is swept downstream at a speed equal to the square of the number of strands it has acquired. Ten strands would cause 100 rounds to pass in reality for every round the creature travels. Other creatures are not able to keep up, even if they can cover more objective distance. The creature can no longer control any aspect of its movement. It cannot slow, alter direction, or even move faster. The strands pull it along regardless of sleep or effort, 24 hours per day. If the creature collects more strands, it moves that much faster.
This may not seem like a bad deal if the creature doesn't have to worry about traveling companions, but while strands do not suffer from bumping into lifelines or glancing off a resident of Temporal Prime at high speeds, a creature from reality does. For every turn of travel, roll 1d20. A 1 indicates no collision that turn. A 20 indicates a one-round encounter with a hazard of Temporal Prime. There is a 35% chance that the hazard is a creature (see the tables on page 58) and a 65% chance that it is a temporal hazard (see Table 16, page 48) For any other result, the creature collides with 1d10 lifelines, suffering 1d6 points of damage per collision. Roll each "attack" one at a time and allow the character one action between each roll.
To free itself, the creature's first concern would be to fasten itself to a lifeline with an anchor of some type or, if it is already being swept along, try to catch a lifeline with each collision. On a successful attack roll against AC 10, the creature grabs a lifeline, but it must make a Strength check each round to hang on. Even if the check is made, the strands have a 1% chance to break the grip for every strand. This includes breaking ropes or anything else holding the creature in place.
Getting rid of the strands is even more difficult. After clothing is removed, universal solvent dissolves one strand for every ounce used. A weak acid solution (lemon juice, vinegar, etc.) can be applied and heavily scrubbed over the creature, too. The acid dissolves one strand per round.
===Timestorm===
Timestorm. A timestorm is not really a hazard of Temporal Prime, but it can be created only after time travel, which is a major use of Temporal Prime, and so it is covered here. The momentum of time reacts severely with those who attempt to abuse the time-space continuum by trying to double their lifeline. A creature not being able to exist in the same plane in two different spots at the exact same time is a fundamental rule that the momentum enforces rigorously.
Timestorms begin to brew a month before the lifeline doubles. If there's not nearly that much time (before the attempt to double is going to occur) when the chronomancer slips into reality (the Prime Material Plane), the storm gathers quickly and within a few days (or hours or minutes if the chronomancer is really cutting it close), it's at its proper level. Early symptoms include such things as the person attempting the doubling experiencing déjà vu, minor paradoxes, and small amounts of Wesley's temporal disjunction.
At first, these effects occur at a rate of once per day. As the time for the attempted doubling draws near (less than a week away), the impending storm becomes apparent, as these minor symptoms spread to those around the chronomancer (the unfortunates caught near the eye of the storm). These effects happen more frequently. At least once per hour, a randomly chosen member of the group experiences one of them.
In the final day, things like random time stops, time snares, and paradoxes affect all of those within the storm's overall range, and each effect occurs once per hour. In the final hours down to the last second, things grow exceedingly more bizarre, as temporal spells now randomly affect bystanders even more frequently (once per turn, now including accelerate lifeline, major paradox, and temporal push). It's even possible that time dimensionals or Guardians appear (check each turn). At the instant before the lifeline doubles, the storm opens a portal to Temporal Prime and draws the attempted doubler through, and each creature within the eye of the storm has a 10% chance of being sucked in as well. There is also a 10% chance that the portal is permanently established.
The range of the storm is a DM's judgment call, and it relates to its momentum. The storm begins in a 30-foot range around the chronomancer and spreads as the attempted doubling nears. If the chronomancer has been there a few days, the storm is small (100-foot range at its peak), but if he's been there for some time, it could range up to one mile for every six months. The eye of the storm (for checking who or what gets pulled through) ranges from the starting 30 feet to a maximum of 100 yards (which is reached if the attempted doubler stayed longer than six months). The turbulence pattern on Temporal Prime corresponds to the one-month build-up and expands in a cone shape to cover the correct geographical area.
The base chance for a time dimensional to be attracted to reality near the storm's peak is 25%, and the base chance for a Guardian is 15%. Both are modified according to the size of the storm. For every week that the doubler has been in reality, add 1% to the base chance. For the largest storms, dimensionals and Guardians would both be automatically alerted and show up.
One last effect of a timestorm is the incredible temporal force that builds in the eye of the storm. This force is very powerful where chronomancy spells and spell effects are considered, and some reckless chronomancers have been known to purposely incite these storms to better their casting ability. If the storm is considered small, in the last hour of the storm before doubling, increase the power of chronomancy spells by approximately 0.5% per minute. If the storm is large (greater than one mile), increase the spells' power by 0.5% each minute over the last two hours.
This involves a little estimation on the part of the DM, but it's fairly simple. If the spell effect has a percentage chance of failure, subtract the bonus percentage from that chance. If there is a saving throw, for every 5% of bonus, add a -1 penalty to the saving throw of any victim of the spell. Adjust range, duration, and the like accordingly, always rounding any sort of fractions down. Remember, the chronomancer cannot be sure of the exact time to the doubling unless very accurate records were kept, and the random effects and possible appearance of Guardians or dimensionals can cause delays.
Note that, once the attempted doubler has been removed to Temporal Prime, the storm ends instantly, its power entirely sucked back into Temporal Prime where it rightfully belongs.
==Off the Beaten Path==
Most everything said deals with the time-streams and not the voids separating them. For the most part, this is because they are easily ignored, since there is no real use in traveling them. There are few creatures and no physical substances such as lifelines to use as reference points, just a huge area of dense mist-smoke that roils and flows along in the normal direction. However, if the characters come down hard enough with the exploring fever, a Dungeon Master could find them leaving the time-stream and venturing into the voids. At least preparation is simple.
Treat the first 100 feet into the void as part of the time-stream. The mist-smoke behaves normally. Visibility is limited to 60 feet, and there's the same chance for strands. Creatures from the time-stream rarely stray beyond this limit unless otherwise noted in their descriptions. Some might think it's a good area to get snatched by strands and ride the temporal current without fear of obstacles, but the mist-smoke always drifts back into the time-stream at some point, putting the character in for a good battering. Also, if the characters are attempting to breach the time-stream of another reality (this would be its fringes), they would accomplish it here and have no use for venturing out further.
After 100 feet, the mist-smoke grows denser until visibility is restricted to 30 feet. The chance for strands goes up, and any strand encounter is with a strand cloud. Creatures can be encountered only if their descriptions mention they travel the voids, or they have somehow been forced out there.
Technically, the time-streams for alternate realities are a measurable distance apart, but traveling the voids never gets a creature to one of them. The deeper one goes into the void, the more time plays strange tricks. Time snares, Wesley's temporal disjunction, time stops, the occasional temporal stasis that could last one round or one year-these effects quickly become more trouble than the traveling is worth.
Long before the characters can reach another time-stream, they are covered with strands. The adventurers are outside the influence of the time-stream, so there is no travel into the future except for the four-to-one differential that continues to tick by. They feel as if they are being swept along, occasionally encountering a creature which will decide the character must be nutritious, but with respect to the time-stream, they have not moved. Also, once the characters travel back toward the time-stream, they find that the strands are still holding them in place (remember, conscious movement has been lost). They must de-strand themselves before getting back to reality.
Unless careful preparation is made, the voids are no place to go adventuring. All characters, prior to much traveling on Temporal Prime, should receive proper warning about what to expect. This should be enough to keep them from straying.
Category:Chronomancer Book