Hazardous Duty

Precious llttle 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 Prirne 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

The böttöm 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 siiver 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 Üfeline, 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 wav of assembling or if there is a microscopic battle going on with the losing members reluctantly joining the ranks of the victors.

Tempsynth is nof 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.

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 them- selves to them where they cannot be seen. There is only a 20% chance that they are detected without a carefuJ search.

When mites are encountered, roil 1d4—1 for the number that attach to each creature. Once attached, the mites feed on the linear crea- ture's interaction with time. Afflicted creatures behave as if under a Wesley's temporal disjunction speli (see page 47) until all mites are found and removed.

Natural Hazards

Temporal Prime has some natural hazards that do not need teeth or claw to injure the unwary chronomancer. Vortices and maelsftroms 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. Normaily, you walk through one from circumfercnce to spout in a spiral pattem along the wall, or if leaving the vortex, straight up the wall. Passing through the wail creates an effect similar to chain lightning but with double the range for the subsequent bolts.

Maelstronis contain several vortices and are correspondingly more dangerous. The base chance for an encounter Ln theseis 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 stabilitv of Temporal Prime. The severe disruption to the momentum of time results in several random effects. Once the border of a maelstrotn 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 paraâox, slow,Weslcy's temporal disunction, or time stop.

Strands

Hidden in tiie 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 visihle 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 thev 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 stickv or restrict movement. Strands travel in strand packs (smalJ patclies of Id6 strands) and strand clouds (6d6 strands) that sweep through timestreams and voids with catastrophic effect. When strands are encountered, a quick check on Table 13 can determine their formation.

Strands appear on the random encounter tables on page 38. If a single strand or a strand pack is encountered, it is assumed to automaticaily fasten to one of the characters. If a strand cloud is encountered, up to 6 strands can fasten to eacii character. Determine randomly who the first character is to he affected, and roll ld6 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. Tlie 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 eqtial to or greater than the creature's Wisdom, travel to reality is impossible until the strands have been dealt with. If the creature finailv forces through into reality, the strands dissipate, but the creature is thrown 5d4 rounds into the future for everv strand fastened to it. If several creatures are in a group, onlv the ones with strands are thrown forward.

The second effect of strands can be even more of a problem. Tliough fastened to a creature, they stil) wish to continue to travei with the mist-smoke, and thev steadily pull downstream. It the creature is traveling upstream or directly cross-stream, deduct -1 from its Wisdom for mövement purposes.If travelling downstream, add +1 to its Wisdom for the same purposes. The ruie conceming traveling at the speed of the creature with the slowest Wisdom still applies, so if traveling upstream, the whole group is affected, while the down-stream bonus probably means nothing.

Once the creature has acquired a number of strands equal to its Wisdom, the effect is like a dam finally burstingand 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 traveis. 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 movcment. 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 coilects more strands, it moves that much faster.

This mav not seem like a bad deal if the creature doesn't have to worry about travelling companions, Luit whiie strands do not suffer from bumping intolifelines or glandng off a resident of Temporal Prime at high speeds, a creaiure from reaiity does. For every turn of travei roll 1d20. A 1 indicaies 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 un page 58) and a 65% chance that it is a temporal hazard (see Tahle 16, page 48) For any other result the creature collides with 1 d10 lifelines, suffering ld6 points of damage per collision. Roll each "attack" one at a time and allow the character one action between each roll.

To free ilsell, 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 tu catch a lifeline with each collision. On a successful attack roll agalnst AC 10, the creature grabs a lifeline, but it must make a Strength check each round to hang on. Even if the cheek is made, the strands have a 1% chance to break the grip for every strand. This includes breaking ropes or any- tltmg else holding the creature in place.

Gettmg rid of the strands is even rnore 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 heavify scrubbed over tiie creature, too. The acid dissolves one Strand per round.

Timestorm

A timestorm is not reaiiy 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. lf 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 liours 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 doubiing experiencing déja vu, minor paradoxes, and small amounts of Wesleys temporal disjunction.

At first, these effects occur al a rate of once per day. As the time for the attempted doubling draws near (less than a week awav), the impending storm becomes apparent, as these minor symptoms spread to those around the chronomancer (the unfortunates caught near the eve of the storm). These effects happen more frequently. At least once per hour, a ran- domly chosen memher of the group experiences one of them.

In the final day, tliings like random time stops, tirne snares, and pamdoxes 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 speils now randomiy affect bystanders even more frequently (once per turn, now including accelerate lifeline, major paradox, and temporal push). It's even possible that time dintensionals or Guardians appear (check each turn). At the instant before the lifeiine 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. Tltere 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. li the chronomaneer 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 dunensional 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 douber 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 tast effect of a timesturm is the incredibte temporal force that builds in the eve of the storm. This force is very powerful where chronomancy spells and spell effects are considered, and some rcckless 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 spelts 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 littie 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 effeets 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 intoTemporal Prime where it rightfully belongs.