Environment Rules

Environment:

Everything an environment brings counts as an environmental effect.

Environmental effects have 3 parts:

Environmental effects: certain environments produce special effects.

Environmental penalties: certain environmental effects give characters penalties on certain actions.

Environmental damage: harsh environments damage characters.

All environmental effects are Natural Essence Unranked effects.

A matching immunity only protects against the matching part, unless it is immunity to environmental effects, which protects against everything an environment brings.

Most environments aren't a single environment. Some are compound environments; for example, you can combine a landslide and lava into a volcanic eruption.

Forests

Forest terrain comes in three kinds: sparse, normal, and dense. These forest types appear in different films.

You can assign different terrain to suit different films.

In general, one forest may include all three, with sparse forest around the edges and mostly dense forest in the middle.

How to tell them apart:

Sparse: no tall trees, and on average a 50% chance of an ordinary tree every 2 meters.

Normal: a few tall trees, and on average a 70% chance of an ordinary tree or a 10% chance of a tall tree every 2 meters.

Dense: some tall trees, and on average an 80% chance of an ordinary tree or a 20% chance of a tall tree every 2 meters.

The most important feature of forest terrain is its trees. In general, an ordinary tree can give one target light cover, and a tall tree can give one target medium cover.

Undergrowth is usually made of vines, roots, low bushes, and the other things found everywhere on the forest floor. These cover the forest floor, so all forest floor counts as difficult terrain. There are also some thickets in the forest.

These thickets only appear in normal and dense forest: a 20% chance every 2 meters in normal forest, and 50% in dense forest.

Characters can share a position with a thicket. While in a thicket, it gives the target light cover and a 5 DP circumstance bonus on Stealth (Hiding) rolls, but a 5 DP circumstance penalty on Stealth (Sneaking) and Athletics rolls, and moving costs four times the movement (instead of the usual double for difficult terrain).

Environmental effects:

Because of the trees, sight range differs in different forests.

Sparse forest: maximum sight range 6D10 meters.

Normal forest: maximum sight range 5D10 meters.

Dense forest: maximum sight range 4D10 meters.

Note that this only affects a character's maximum sight range, not other sensory ranges, approximate ranges, or blindsense and blindsight.

All sorts of sounds in the forest hinder listening. When making a PER + Investigation (Listening) roll, the DC rises by 1 for every 5 meters the sound's source is beyond you.

Other forest terrain features:

Fallen giant trees: these give the matching cover bonus by their Size, under the cover rules.

Forest streams: these streams are usually no more than 4 meters wide and 1 meter deep.

Forest paths: traveling along these paths doesn't count as difficult terrain.

Forest fires:

Most PCs will probably choose to set fires everywhere. Of course, dry weather, lightning striking a tree, or a plot already in the film can also do it, and a great forest fire shows the characters how much danger they are in.

Characters can spot a forest fire with a PER + Investigation (Spotting) roll: each success spots a fire 100 meters farther away, up to the character's own approximate detection range.

If every character in the group fails the roll, they are certain to notice the forest is on fire once the flames spread within their sight range (or the range of certain special abilities, such as blindsight).

Characters with no means of detection at all (such as the blinded, with no other special ability) notice the fire automatically from its scorching heat at 30 meters.

Downwind, a fire spreads very fast, at a speed equal to the current wind speed x 1.5.

With no wind, a fire spreads at 5 meters per round.

Upwind, a fire doesn't spread against the wind; it spreads downwind according to the wind speed.

Once a forest catches fire, the area burns out completely in 8D10 minutes.

Swamps:

Swamp terrain usually comes in two kinds: wet marsh and drier bog.

In general, swamps form where there are lakes around, or where there used to be a lake. But in any case, if the terrain in the film is a swamp, the ST should make it a swamp.

The most common terrain in a swamp is wetland. Besides wetland, there are also pools and man-eating bogs.

Wetland: all wetland is difficult terrain, and all Reflex rolls on it take a 2 DP circumstance penalty. This is an environmental effect.

Pools: a pool holds about 1 to 2 meters of dirty water. Creatures of Size 4 to Size 8 need 4 meters of movement to move 1 meter here, and creatures of Size 3 or less must "swim" to move in the pool. Any target of Size below 8 in a pool gains 4 points of cover.

Usually, a pool is surrounded by wetland.

Also, Stealth (Sneaking) rolls in wetland or pools take a 2 DP circumstance penalty.

Man-eating bogs: a man-eating bog usually looks very solid, just like ordinary flat ground or wetland. A target moving at its normal speed can make a PER + Survival (Wilderness Survival) roll at DC 2; on a success, it spots the man-eating bog ahead before stepping in. A character running, charging, or doing something similar gets no chance to spot it before stepping in. Once in a man-eating bog, the character makes an "Athletics (Swimming)" roll at DC 2 each round. On a success, they keep from sinking further; on a failure, they sink by 1 Size. When they have sunk by their own Size, they are fully submerged and start suffocating. If they get more than 5 successes, they can move 1 meter sideways.

If someone who has fallen in can pull themselves toward the bank (for example, by grabbing grass or branches on the bank), their "Athletics (Swimming)" roll becomes a "STR + Athletics (Swimming)" roll. If someone helps, use the Aid rules.

Swamp terrain usually doesn't affect sight or listening.

Other swamp terrain features:

Besides the terrain itself, a swamp may also have ordinary trees, thickets, and thorns.

Thorns: these plants are common in swamps, and are usually mixed with stones and mud like a low wall. They give the matching cover bonus by their Size, under the cover rules. To get through thorns, you must pass a STR + Athletics (Climbing) roll at DC 3; on a failure, you take 1 bashing damage for each point you missed by.

Hills:

Hill terrain can appear within any other terrain, or as a stretch of its own.

In any case, it can be slotted in anywhere to build a landscape. In some fantasy films, most terrain apart from forest is hills.

Hills usually lie between plains and mountains, and are very common terrain.

Hill terrain is fairly complex because it rises and falls. We split it into 3 kinds:

Gentle slopes: going down counts as normal terrain; going up counts as difficult terrain, but this difficult terrain allows charging. This is an environmental effect.

Steep slopes: going down counts as normal terrain, but charging or doing something similar downhill needs a DEX + Athletics (Balance) roll at DC 2. On a failure, you fall prone and slide (1D2 x current speed / 6) meters, or until the slope ends, then take bashing damage equal to half the remaining sliding meters. Going up counts as difficult terrain. This is an environmental effect.

Cliffs: a cliff is a vertical rock face that can't be crossed by normal movement. Cliffs are usually 2D10 meters high.

In general, hills don't block sight or affect listening rolls.

But note that a character higher up in the hills gets some cover bonus against characters lower down, depending on the height difference:

More than 10 meters: light cover

More than 20 meters: partial cover

More than 40 meters: heavy cover

Other hill terrain features:

Hills occasionally have trees and thickets, and there are often streams at the bottoms of the valleys.

Ordinary trees and thickets: see "Forests".

Valley streams: these streams are usually no more than 4 meters wide and 2 meters deep. Note that they usually flow toward the lowest point.

Mountains

Mountain terrain is fairly rare in films. Mountain regions are enormous, and usually made of 3 parts: when characters enter a mountain region, they first see fairly gentle highland terrain, then rugged peak terrain, and finally the summit terrain at the top.

Mountain terrain has a lot of complex ground:

Gentle slopes: the same as hill gentle slopes.

Steep slopes: the same as hill steep slopes.

Cliffs: the same as hill cliffs, but taller. Highland cliffs are about as high as hill cliffs, peak cliffs reach 4D10 meters high, and summit cliffs are 8D10 meters high.

Crevasses: crevasses come from geological shifts. They work like pits and are very dangerous: a character on a crevasse falls into the mountain. Crevasses are usually 4D10 meters deep, 3 to 5 meters long, and 3 to 15 meters wide. After falling in, climbing out is as hard as an ordinary rock face.

Different terrain has different ground:

Highlands: highland terrain is 50% gentle slopes, 40% steep slopes, and 10% cliffs; the ground is fairly gentle overall.

Peaks: peak terrain is 25% gentle slopes, 55% steep slopes, 15% cliffs, and 5% crevasses; the ground is clearly steeper and more dangerous.

Summits: summit terrain is only 15% gentle slopes and 55% steep slopes, while cliffs rise to 20% and crevasses to 10%. This terrain is very steep, dangerous, and hard to climb.

In general, mountains don't block sight.

But high mountains usually make sound carry farther. This means your hearing sensory range doubles in high mountains.

But note that a character higher up gets some cover bonus against characters lower down, depending on the height difference:

More than 10 meters: light cover

More than 20 meters: partial cover

More than 40 meters: heavy cover

Other mountain terrain features:

Thickets: see "Forests". But thickets are very rare, and almost gone by the summit.

Scree: ground covered in small loose stones; this is difficult terrain. Athletics (Balance) and Stealth (Sneaking) rolls on scree take a 2 DP circumstance penalty. This is an environmental effect.

Dense scree: ground covered in stones of all sizes; this is difficult terrain. Athletics (Balance) rolls on it take a 4 DP circumstance penalty, and Stealth (Sneaking) rolls take a 2 DP circumstance penalty. This is an environmental effect.

Mountain streams: these streams are usually no more than 4 meters wide and 2 meters deep. Note that they usually flow toward the lowest point.

Special mountain terrain features:

Caves: caves usually have one or more entrances. Cave entrances usually appear in rock faces, which means they are usually on cliffs or steep slopes.

Altitude: acting at high altitude is not only exhausting for creatures not used to it, but can be deadly. The climate in high mountains is cold and the air is thin, and both affect most creatures badly.

Note: creatures that don't need to breathe, such as undead, constructs, elementals, and spirits, aren't affected by altitude.

Altitude categories:

Low altitude: below 3,000 meters, mostly highland terrain. There are no other environmental effects.

Medium altitude: 3,000 to 9,000 meters, usually the tops of lower mountains, or the stretches of higher mountains people still travel. Here, every creature not adapted to high mountains finds it hard to breathe, and makes a Fortitude roll at DC 2 every hour, with the DC rising by 1 every 6 hours. Each point of failure gives 1 fatigue point, which stacks without limit and doesn't recover. Only once the character leaves the area and returns to a normal environment can they save against these points normally. This is an environmental effect.

High altitude: above 9,000 meters. No normal creature can adapt to this extreme environment, and every creature that isn't immune suffers its environmental effects. Here, the character makes a Fortitude roll at DC 2 every hour, with the DC rising by 1 every 6 hours. Each point of failure gives 1 fatigue point, which stacks without limit and doesn't recover. Also, every 6 hours they make another Fortitude roll at DC 2, with the DC rising by 1 every 6 hours; each failure deals 1 point of Attribute damage to every Attribute, which doesn't recover. Only once the character leaves the area and returns to a normal environment can they save against the fatigue points and Attribute damage normally. This is an environmental effect.

Special events:

Landslides:

A landslide sends masses of rock tumbling down from above; it is the deadliest danger in the mountains.

Characters can spot a landslide with a PER + Investigation (Spotting) roll: each success spots a landslide 200 meters farther away, up to the character's own approximate detection range.

If every character in the group fails the roll, they are certain to notice the landslide once it comes within their sight range (or the range of certain special abilities, such as blindsight).

Characters with no means of detection at all (such as the blinded, with no other special ability) can make a PER + Investigation (Listening) roll: each success hears a landslide 50 meters farther away.

A landslide has two zones:

Burial zone: a character in this zone is certain to be hurt. Characters in this zone take 20L falling object damage and can make a Reflex save against it: every 3 successes raise the damage's grade one step lighter, down to bashing damage at most. They are also buried under the landslide's rubble.

Slide zone: a character in this zone has ways to avoid it. The character takes 20L falling object damage and can make a Reflex save against it: every 3 successes reduce the damage by 1. If the damage drops to 0, they are safe; otherwise, they are also buried under the rubble.

While buried, a character takes 1 lethal physical damage each minute, which ignores damage reduction.

Landslides usually cover a very large area, up to 3D10 x 10 meters wide, with the burial zone usually in the middle of that stretch. A landslide usually tumbles down at 150 meters per round.

Deserts

Deserts are common terrain anywhere, especially in Egypt-themed films.

Of course, some Westerns can also use some of the desert's environmental features.

Desert terrain also usually comes in three kinds:

Ice deserts: these usually appear in cold regions, such as Siberia. They have 25% ice field, 5% scree, and 15% thickets.

Stone deserts: these usually appear in temperate regions; deserts like the Western badlands have these features. They have 30% scree and dense scree, and 5% thickets.

Ordinary deserts: these are usually tropical; a true desert means this kind. They have 5% thickets, 10% scree, 5% dense scree, and 50% dunes.

Note: ice deserts are usually covered in ice and snow, so water is fairly easy to come by. And in summer, the ice of an ice desert may melt, turning it into a swamp, just without pools.

Terrain features unique to deserts:

Dunes: dunes are usually formed by the wind, and they can move. A dune can cover hundreds of square meters and moves under steady wind. In general, a dune's windward side is a gentle slope and its leeward side a steep slope.

Ice field: a thin layer of ice covering the ground; difficult terrain. This difficult terrain can be ignored: to ignore it, moving across the ice field takes a DEX + Athletics (Balance) roll at DC 2. On a success, you can ignore the ice field when moving this round; otherwise, you fall prone. If your action this round is a charge or something similar, the DC becomes 4. This is an environmental effect.

In general, deserts don't block sight or affect listening rolls.

Other desert terrain features:

Thickets: see "Forests".

Scree: ground covered in small loose stones; this is difficult terrain. Athletics (Balance) and Stealth (Sneaking) rolls on scree take a 2 DP circumstance penalty. This is an environmental effect.

Quicksand: see "man-eating bogs" under "Swamps".

Underwater combat

Combat adjustments:

All ranged attacks made in water or at underwater targets no longer use their normal range. Unless they have [Penetrating] or [Super Penetrating], their base range becomes the lower of 20 meters and their own base range.

Natural Essence fire can't burn in water.

Water pressure:

Water pressure noticeably hinders characters and does them significant harm.

Without any protection, for each 30 meters a character dives, they make a Fortitude roll every minute at DC 3, with the DC rising by 1 each roll. On a failure, they take 1 unavoidable lethal damage. This is an environmental effect.

Without any protection, for each 10 meters a character dives, they take 1 entangle point with no save. This is an environmental effect.

Your sight range in water depends on how clear the water is. In general, in clear water you can see 4D10 x 5 meters; in murky water, 1D10 x 5 meters. Apart from still water and slow currents, all rapids count as murky whether or not they are. This is an environmental effect.

Special events:

Floods: many films have floods. In this case, while the flood lasts, every river's water level rises by 2D10 meters and its surface widens 1 to 2 times. Swimming rolls lose another 2 successes. All currents also become 1.5 times faster; if still water still doesn't reach a slow current after the increase, it rises to the lowest slow current by default.

Weather:

All effects of weather are environmental effects.

Weather is a common element in films. We cover a few simple kinds of weather; if you need something more complex, the ST can design it by mixing several kinds:

For example, rain + snow weather adds up the traits of "rain" and "snow", keeping the higher of each, into a new weather:

Sleet: falling snow sharply cuts visibility, halving characters' sight range. Investigation (Spotting) and Investigation (Searching) rolls take a 4 DP circumstance penalty. If snow settles, snowy ground counts as difficult terrain.

Rain:

Rain sharply cuts visibility, halving characters' sight range. Investigation (Spotting) and Investigation (Searching) rolls take a 4 DP circumstance penalty.

Snow:

Falling snow sharply cuts visibility, halving characters' sight range. Investigation (Spotting) and Investigation (Searching) rolls take a 4 DP circumstance penalty. If snow settles, snowy ground counts as difficult terrain.

Hail:

Hail doesn't affect line of sight, but the noise of the hail gives Investigation (Listening) rolls a 4 DP circumstance penalty. Also, while in the hail, there is a 10% chance each round of taking 1 point of lethal physical bludgeoning damage.

Storms:

Base effect: a storm of fierce wind and precipitation (which might be snow, sand, or hail) cuts visibility drastically, dropping sight range to 1/4 of normal, and characters take an 8 DP circumstance penalty on ranged attack rolls and on Investigation (Spotting), Investigation (Searching), and Investigation (Listening) rolls.

Sandstorm: besides the base effect, a sandstorm deals 1 lethal physical damage each minute to characters exposed to it, which ignores damage reduction. Also, as sand gets into their mouth and nose, the target starts suffocating. If the target covers their mouth and nose with something, they only start suffocating after (their Stamina x 5) rounds.

Blizzard: snow settles, and it is very cold.

Thunderstorm: during a thunderstorm, a huge bolt of lightning strikes each minute, dealing 40 lethal lightning damage, but the chance of it hitting a person is 1%. If the target is wearing heavy metal armor, the chance rises to 5%.

Wind:

Calm: wind speed 0 to 52 meters per round; no effect.

Strong wind: wind speed 52 to 78 meters per round. Characters take a 2 DP circumstance penalty on Investigation (Listening) rolls and on ranged attacks. Targets of Size below 2 make a Fortitude roll at DC 2; on a failure, they fall prone.

Gale: wind speed 78 to 130 meters per round. Characters take a 4 DP circumstance penalty on Investigation (Listening) rolls and on ranged attacks. All targets of Size below 7 make a Fortitude roll at DC 4. Of those who fail: targets of Size below 2 are blown back 1 meter per point of margin of failure, taking 1 lethal physical damage per meter blown; targets of Size below 4 fall prone; targets of Size below 7 can't move against the wind.

Storm: wind speed 130 to 182 meters per round. Characters take an 8 DP circumstance penalty on Investigation (Listening) rolls and on ranged attacks. All targets of Size below 14 make a Fortitude roll at DC 6. Of those who fail: targets of Size below 4 are blown back 1 meter per point of margin of failure, taking 1 lethal physical damage per meter blown; targets of Size below 7 fall prone; targets of Size below 14 can't move against the wind.

Hurricane: wind speed 182 to 418 meters per round. Characters take a 16 DP circumstance penalty on Investigation (Listening) rolls and on ranged attacks, and a 4 DP circumstance penalty on melee attacks. All targets of Size below 29 make a Fortitude roll at DC 8. Of those who fail: targets of Size below 7 are blown back 1 meter per point of margin of failure, taking 1 lethal physical damage per meter blown; targets of Size below 14 fall prone; targets of Size below 29 can't move against the wind.

Tornado: wind speed above 418 meters per round. Characters can't make Investigation (Listening) rolls or ranged attacks, and take an 8 DP circumstance penalty on melee attacks. All targets make a Fortitude roll at DC 14. Of those who fail: targets of Size below 14 are blown back 1 meter per point of margin of failure, taking 1 lethal physical damage per meter blown; targets of Size below 29 fall prone; targets of Size above 29 can't move against the wind.

If a character is blown away, they are pulled into the tornado and tumble inside it for 1D10 rounds, taking 20 lethal physical damage each round, until they are thrown out of the airflow (work out falling damage as normal).

Special: flying creatures count as one Size category smaller. For example, one of Size 9 counts as a unit of Size below 7.

Special: if a flying creature can't move forward, it is also blown back an extra 1D10 meters. If a flying creature falls prone, it is blown back an extra 2D10 meters. If a flying creature is blown away, its margin of failure is doubled.

Fog: fog blocks sight; characters' sight range changes depending on how thick the fog is.

Temperature:

All effects of temperature are environmental effects.

In hot or cold conditions, characters use twice as much water and food; in extreme heat or extreme cold, three times as much.

If they don't have enough, they become hungry and thirsty.

Temperature	Temperature level
Above 60 °C	Extreme heat
43 °C to 59 °C	Very hot
32 °C to 42 °C	Hot
4 °C to 31 °C	Normal
5 °C to -17 °C	Cold
-18 °C and below	Extreme cold

Heat:

When a character is in an environment above 32 °C, they take a 1 DP circumstance penalty on all Physical rolls, and make a Fortitude roll every hour at DC 3, with the DC rising by 1 each roll. On a failure, they take 1 fire bashing damage.

When a character is in an environment above 43 °C, they take a 2 DP circumstance penalty on all Physical rolls, and make a Fortitude roll every 10 minutes at DC 3, with the DC rising by 1 each roll. On a failure, they take 1 fire bashing damage.

Extreme heat: when a character is in an environment above 60 °C, they take a 4 DP circumstance penalty on all Physical rolls, and make a Fortitude roll every minute at DC 3, with the DC rising by 1 each roll. On a failure, they take 1 fire lethal damage.

When a character's Health is filled with bashing damage (whether from this environment or anything else) while in this environment, they immediately become fatigued.

As a special rule, Armor Penalty applies to this Fortitude roll, and damage dealt in this environment doesn't recover naturally until the target leaves the extreme temperature.

Cold:

When a character without any protection from the cold is in an environment below 5 °C, they take a 1 DP circumstance penalty on all Physical rolls, and make a Fortitude roll every hour at DC 3, with the DC rising by 1 each roll. On a failure, they take 1 cold bashing damage.

Extreme cold: when a character without any protection from the cold is in an environment below -18 °C, they take a 1 DP circumstance penalty on all Physical rolls, and make a Fortitude roll every hour at DC 3, with the DC rising by 1 each roll. On a failure, they take 1 cold bashing damage and 1 stacking freeze point.

As a special rule, damage and freeze points dealt in this environment don't recover naturally until the target leaves the extreme temperature.

Fires:

A character caught in a fire faces three dangers:

Burns: while a character is in the fire's area, they take 9 DP of fire lethal damage each round, with no save. Also, every 5 rounds they make a Fortitude roll at DC 2, with the DC rising by 1 every minute; on a failure, they take 1 bashing damage. If the character has an Armor Penalty, it also applies to this Fortitude roll. Damage from this effect is environmental damage.

Catching fire: a character deep in a fire may catch fire if they aren't careful. Each minute, the character makes a Reflex roll at DC 2. On a failure, they take 9 DP of fire lethal damage, which is environmental damage, and gain the same number of burn points.

Smoke: characters inside a fire are affected by "smoke".

Enclosed spaces:

A creature of Size 4 to 6 in a sealed space of 3 cubic meters can breathe normally for 6 hours. After that, every 15 minutes it makes a STA roll against a DC equal to its own Stamina, taking bashing damage equal to the difference. When bashing damage fills the character's Health, the player falls unconscious.

At the next 15 minutes, all the bashing damage turns into lethal damage, and the character is dying.

At the next 15 minutes, all the lethal damage turns into aggravated damage, and the character dies.

Each extra creature, fire, or other unit using up oxygen shortens these times proportionally.

For example, 2 creatures of Size 5 can breathe normally for 3 hours, then roll every 7 minutes.

Boiling water:

When a character touches boiling water, they take 3 lethal fire damage each round.

Your character takes this damage when walking on boiling water.

Being fully immersed in boiling water deals 20 lethal fire damage each round. And if the character is fully submerged, they start suffocating.

Lava:

When a character touches lava or magma, they take 6 lethal fire damage each round.

Your character takes this damage when walking on lava.

Being fully immersed in lava deals 60 lethal fire damage each round, plus burn points equal to half the final damage. And if the character is fully submerged, they start suffocating.

Smoke:

A character breathing in thick smoke makes a Fortitude roll each round at DC 2, with the DC rising by 1 every 30 seconds. On a failure, they take 1 bashing damage. Note that damage from this effect is environmental damage, and only affects creatures with a respiratory system. Thick smoke also blocks sight: characters in thick smoke gain 4 points of cover defense against ranged attacks. This is an environmental effect.

Dim and dark environments:

Dim environment: when there isn't enough light (such as a moonlit night), for creatures without blindsense, blindsight, darkvision, or true seeing, the sensory range and approximate range of their sight are halved.

Dark environment: when there is no light, creatures without blindsense, blindsight, darkvision, or true seeing can't see normally. These creatures are blinded.

Space:

Space includes three environmental effects, "vacuum", "radiation", and "zero gravity", and the three stack.

Radiation:

In some situations, characters are exposed to radiation, such as from a nuclear leak or exposure in space.

Radiation has all kinds of effects, which vary with its strength, but to keep things simple, we give the strength of radiation in space: while exposed to radiation in space, the character takes 1 Stamina damage each round.

Radiation damage doesn't heal naturally, and can only be healed by the Overseer.

Vacuum:

A vacuum is a space where the air pressure has dropped to a certain level, which harms living things.

In general, a vacuum is extremely deadly to living things. In a vacuum, the character takes 2 Stamina damage and 1 Intelligence damage each round.

Being in a vacuum also makes the character start suffocating.

Zero gravity:

Zero gravity means the character is somewhere with no gravity.

Zero gravity: the character loses their base land speed, but can climb at their base speed. A character in zero gravity doesn't take falling damage.

In zero gravity, an attacker moves backward, opposite the direction of the attack, a number of meters equal to the attack's successes.

The one hit moves a number of meters equal to the successes left after defense extra successes.

Difficult terrain:

Difficult terrain is ground full of holes and bumps, rough enough to make moving awkward.

Moving 1 meter on difficult terrain costs 2 meters of movement, and you can't charge across difficult terrain.

Bright light: in bright light, characters keep taking non-stacking dazzle points, saving against them each round. These dazzle points refresh each round rather than lasting. As long as they don't lead to devastating consequences, they fade at 1 point per round after leaving the bright light.

The dazzle points from bright light depend on the light's intensity. Brightness is measured in nits, also called candelas per square meter (cd/m2).

Dark environment: brightness below 1 nit

Dim environment: brightness of 1 to 200 nits

Bright environment: brightness of 200 to 10,000 nits

Bright light environment: brightness above 10,000 nits, giving 1 dazzle point

Each tenfold increase in brightness gives one more dazzle point.

The brightness of an environment doesn't mean every object in it falls in the same range.

Common light sources (nits):

Red laser pointer: 20,000,000,000

Surface of the sun: 2,000,000,000

Incandescent filament: 10,000,000

White paper in sunlight: 30,000

Brightness the human eye can get used to: 3,000

Surface of the full moon: 2,500

Brightness at which the human eye can tell colors apart fairly well: 1

White paper under a full moon: 0.07

Moonless night sky: 0.0001