Hazards

As a campaign world, Eberron is home to a number of unusual hazards that are rare, if present at all, on other campaign worlds. Some of these hazards can turn even the simplest of encounters into a life-threatening challenge.

Manifest Zones (CR +0 to +1)

Manifest zones are areas across the face of Eberron, and underground, that are tied to a specific plane, regardless of if the plane is coterminous or remote. These places are known as manifest zones and can be as small as a few acres or large as a few miles in diameter across. While usually spherical, some are known to morph, based on the plane and surrounding terrain of Eberron. Knowing when you have entered a manifest zone usually requires a Knowledge (planes) check with a DC varying between 15 to 25, based on how obvious the planar effects are. While inside a manifest zone, a number of effects are altered by the attributes of the specific plane involved:

  • Magic is affected as if the plane is coterminous, regardless of what state the plane's moon is actually in. This often means that a certain kind of magic is Enhanced (+2 caster / manifester level) while its opposite is Impeded (Spellcraft level check, DC 20 + spell or power level).

  • Other aspects of the plane (gravity, time, morphic or traits) are not conveyed to the surrounding area.

    • Random encounters while in a manifest zone will involve outsiders native to the associated plane 50% of the time.

  • At the center of each manifest zone is the heart, the place where the planar boundaries are thinnest. It is at this location, usually no more than 5' wide, where entry to and from the plane can occur without the need of magic.

Some manifest zones are quite well known, like the manifest zone to Syrania that provides the city of Sharn with the levitation-enhancing magic that allows the City of Towers to stand. Most are difficult enough to track down that it requires significant effort, be it tracking spells or extensive time out in the field. Likewise, while most manifest zones are permanent, or at least long-lasting, there are those that very temporary, only appearing for a few hours or days at a time. The age and, by extension, the relative strength of a manifest zone is categorized in the following method.

Encounters in a manifest zone often favor the outsiders native to that plane, which in turn cause a +1 CR adjustment. However, parties that are equally able to benefit from the planes effects may not have a CR adjustment at all. The specific planes of Eberron are located here.

Source: ECB, pg. 94

The Mournland (CR +0 to +2)

The Mournland is what remains of the nation of Cyre, located in the center of Khorvaire. On the Day of Mourning, the entire nation of covered in a thick, grey mist that killed everything that it touched, imminating from the rough center of Cyre and spreading out to exact borders of the country in the matter of a few hours. And just as suddenly as the mist appeared, it stopped advancing, ending on the borders that Cyre controlled during its last days. The sudden and complete devastation of an entire people caused the Last War to come to halt. In the months that followed, it was determined that the while the mists were no longer lethal, what remained of Cyre was nothing more than a blasted wasteland, cloaked in an ever-present fog.

The Mournland is surrounded on all sides, and to an altitude of 1,000 feet, with a thick, perpetual fog. This fog, which counts as a non-magical Fog Cloud can last for anywhere between 100 to 300 feet, making entering the Mournland hazardous and difficult. However, what is even more dangerous is how the Mournland as altered the very nature of life. This distortion comes into effect in four distinct and terrifying ways.

    • Natural healing (for both hit points and ability damage) does not occur in the Mournland.

    • Any use of the healing subschool / subdiscipline or any use of positive energy to heal the living (or Deathless) does not work in the Mournland. Use of positive energy to damage the undead still works normal. This makes other forms of healing, like Goodberry or Vampiric Touch, a necessity when adventuring in the Mournland.

    • Dead bodies, or any organic matter, do not decompose while in the Mournland. While this is mostly as cosmetic feature, it does mean that time in the Mournland does not count toward the time limit on raising a creature back to life.

    • Nothing natural grows in the Mournland. This enforces a +10 to all Survival check DCs to find food or water.

Because of these unique conditions to adventuring in the Mournland, consider the make up of your party, their ability to get around these restrictions and how able they are to leave and reenter the Mournland. The more these conditions would affect the party, consider raising any encounter there by +1 to +2. However, the less likely these conditions would impact a party (like a party of all warforged), these conditions would not increase the CR. For most parties, increase the CR by +2 until the party has access to Teleport or similar abilities. From then on, only add a +1 to the CR.

Source: ECB, pg. 188

Reality Storms (CR +0 to +2)

Reality storms, or Aukaraks, are really nothing more than mobile manifest zones. While rare in the extreme on Khorvaire, they have been know to crop up occasionally on Xen'Drik or Argonessen. However, they are quite common in the plains and tundra in the northern parts of Sarlona. Like a manifest zone, the chances of encountering appropriate outsiders increases significantly, while magic and psionic powers are altered in the same fashion as well. Aukaraks tend to only last for 2d4-1 hours and cover an area of around 10 square miles. In northern Sarlona, the chance of encountering one is 5% cumulative per day, while in other areas that have, they are even less likely.

About 30 percent of Aukaraks are formed by the combination of two opposition planes (Daanvi and Kythri, Irian and Mabar, Fernia and Risia). When these binary storms strike, each plane involved only manifests for 2d6 rounds before switching again. About 10 percent of Aukaraks are formed by activity on either the Astral or Ethereal plane, during each any one of the following planar qualities might affect the region:

    • Light Gravity

    • Heavy Gravity

    • Erratic Time (shift by 1d10-5 x10% each minute)

    • Flowing time (shift by 1d10-5 x10% fixed)

    • Dead Magic

    • Wild Magic

Encounters during a reality storm can cause those unprepared for it a real headache. But given that even locals know of them, Knowledge (planes) can be used to predict when they will occur (like Survival to predict the weather), if not exactly which planes are involved. Those unprepared for it might have the CR of encounters while in one increased by +1 to +2.

Source: SoX, pg. 144