by Thomas Kane
Illustration by Gustave Dore
courtesy of Dover Publications. Inc. <>
| The aerial environment | Wind effects | The world below | Bombardment and falling | Maneuvering |
| Magic in the skies | Cleric spells | Druid spells | Magic-user spells | Illusionist spells |
| Dragon 124 | - | - | - | Dragon |
Each snap of the hippogriff's
wings
jarred the old warrior to the bone.
Barloff
felt the beast's muscles ripple and
strain
beneath him -- then jerk as if the
beast
had been startled. Had it caught a
scent?
He tried to scan the sky through the
narrow
eyeholes in his helmet. Was it --
From the mists ahead, the dragon
emerged. Its wrinkled head and neck
shot
from the white fog like a green spear;
then
its vast, thundering wings tore the
cloud
to shreds. It had not yet seen him.
Cold with fear, Barloff guided his
steed
along the cloud fringe. Tendrils of
mist
whipped around him. The dragon's
wings
tipped, and it began the long glide
down
into the valley that was Barloff's
home and
the home of his people -- the people
he
had sworn to protect. Barloff kneed
the
hippogriff and followed, swallowing
and
steadying himself. "Lord of Air and
Storm,"
he whispered, his voice drowned in
the
wind blast around his helm. "Just let
me
get one good shot, just one good .
. ."
But the dragon's
head cocked, as if
listening to something that it should
have
heard long ago. The head twisted slightly.
A glittering golden eye looked back,
caught sight of Barloff, and began
to glow
with an unholy heat.
Subtlety was wasted
now, and the Lord
of Air and Storm loved a brave heart.
Barloff roared at the top of his lungs,
waving his lance.
The hippogriff echoed
his cry with a shriek that rang in
his
bones. Perhaps the villagers would
hear
the hippogriff and take shelter. He
could
hope for nothing more now.
The hippogriff's
wings slashed the wind,
preparing for its instinctive dive
at the
upper part of the dragon's back. The
ground could be clearly seen: furrowed
fields, smoke from cottages, the green
dragon's
dark shadow. Then Barloff hit
the turbulence from the blast of the
dragon's wings, and he struggled to
brace
his lance.
Winged steeds are a special high-level
treasure, as they open new possibilities
for
AD&D®
game scenarios. Flying is more
than just a fast way to get around; airborne
characters also have encounters,
accidents, and rousing adventures. Much
of the basic information about aerial
adventuring is given in the DMG,
pages
50-53.
Other information is given herein.
This article describes
saving throw procedures
for which dice are rolled against a
creature's aerial maneuverability rating;
treat maneuverability class A as equal
to 1,
B = 2, C = 3, D = 4, and E = 5. Also,
the
speeds of flying objects are measured
in
scale inches. In "tactical" situations
involving
normal melee, fliers travel at 10 times
the combat movement rate mentioned on
page 102
of the PH. Thus,
1" of speed = 10' covered per segment
(6
seconds), roughly equal to 1.14 MPH. This
speed applies to direct, nonstop travel.
On
long "strategic" flights, the slower rate
of
3" = 1 MPH, as noted on page
50 of the
DMG, should be used, as it accounts
for
time used for rest stops, getting lost,
changes in wind direction which hamper
travel, avoidance maneuvers when
encountering unfriendly fliers, etc.
Additionally, it is assumed that all riders
on live flying mounts are tied to their
saddles using leg straps and the like.
Any
rider lacking such straps must roll 1d20
against his dexterity or less each round
he
is in flight or else fall off. It is assumed
that magical items that grant flight while
ridden do not require such straps, as
they
keep their riders seated by magical means
(barring some catastrophe).
The aerial
environment
The sky is ephemeral and ever-changing.
There is no lasting terrain within it
and
there are few obstacles to movement. The
primary features of the sky, for game
purposes, are clouds and air currents,
the
former of which (if solid) can serve as
settings for the adventures. Consider,
too, that
characters cannot SPEED around in the
sky
like little airplanes. PCs are slow compared
to many weather patterns.
There is nothing to stop a flier from
going straight through a normal cloud,
but
there are occasions when a character
won't want to do that. He might be pursuing
a TARGET and be unwilling to enter the
fog, perhaps in an effort to keep his
possessions
out of the wet mist. If a PC skims
the surface of a cloud, its free-form
shape
makes an intriguing maze. Travelling within
it, a PC may become lost and may
emerge from the cloud in an unexpected
place or facing undesirable foes.
Cloud types vary according
to shape,
altitude, and weather. The DM should plan
the weather at least one day in advance,
using whatever weather-generation system
works best. The weather
system
in
the WSG, pages 107-118, serves
admirably well,
as might "Weather
in the World of Greyhawk" in
the Glossography of the WORLD OF GREYHAWK
Fantasy Setting set. Cloud
patterns often change before the weather
does, so observant PCs may forecast the
weather using clouds.
The clouds present are
determined on
Table 1. Roll 1d10 and compare the result
with the appropriate conditions. There
is a
30% chance that two separate types of
clouds are present at once. If this is
the
case, consult the cloud formation table
twice. Cloud descriptions follow Table
1.
PCs are hampered within
mists. Characters
inside a cloud can see only 40' and are
penalized -2 on all missile "to hit" rolls.
All unwrapped items become wet; parchments,
papers, scrolls, and books must
save on a roll of 5 or better for each
turn
of exposure or else become warped and
smeared beyond USE. Furthermore, all
invisible creatures are outlined,
bettering
the chances of their detection. Such creatures
can be attacked inside clouds at -2
on "to hit" rolls instead of the -4 figure,
and make saves with but a
+2 bonus. When using the Detection
of Invisibility Table on page 60 in the DMG,
add 3 HD/levels to observers for purposes
of detection.
The effects of certain
types of spells,
when CAST within clouds, are hampered
by
the mist. The time a gas takes to dissipate
is doubled in a cloud. Magical fire-based
attacks do 1 hp less per HD of damage.
There is a 20% chance that any electricity-based
spell is negated by the wet air. Every
time
a character changes direction in a
cloud, there is a 70% chance that he
becomes lost and proceeds in a random
direction. Certain types of clouds vary
from these stats; these are noted in Table
1.
Most cloud patterns
cover 30-180 square
miles. The DM may select certain dimensions
for a cloud rather than randomly rolling
them.
A cloud's exterior is twisted
and chaotic; bumps, canyons of clear air,
and hills of fog pockmark the surface
of a
cloud. As a result, the DM might decide
to
map certain cloud surfaces (preferably
a
number of them for use as needed in
future games). This can be done by mapping
<>
the clouds onto hex paper, as used in
the DMG,
pages 52-53,
or with contour
lines. Otherwise, a DM might draw the
cloud on a two-dimensional object and
USE
a color code to indicate thick &&
thin <>
areas.
According to DMG, page
50, a character
cannot fly higher than 5,000'. However,
with magical items like the iridescent
ioun stone or
necklace of adaptation,
greater heights can be reached. Of course,
a flying mount cannot go higher unless
it
is similarly protected. With proper magic,
a PC can probably go as high as 15,000'
without harm. Above this altitude, the
air
becomes so thin that normal flying is
impossible. Modern jets routinely fly
higher
than this, but no such technology exists
in the AD&D game world. Even magical
devices cannot take a PC over this limit
(unless the DM decides that outer space
is
filled with breathable air).
Generally speaking,
the air gets colder as
one rises in the sky. Thus, DMs should
lower the effective temperature 3°F
for
every 1,000' of altitude the PCs ascend.
Thus, PCs who spend long periods at high
altitudes must dress warmly.
Wind effects
Air currents greatly
change the mechanics
of flying. Winds blow adventurers off
course and may even drive them from the
air.
Thermals (warm bodies of rising air)
can be used to soar higher and for longer
durations -- a resource which may mean
life or death in combat. Downdrafts and
erratic winds may force PCs out of the
air
and into an unexpected wilderness adventure.
If your weather system
does not have a
method for determining wind direction
and velocity, use the Wind
Direction and Force tables for waterborne adventures,
on page 54 of the DMG (perhaps
with a -1 modifier to the roll).
For every 10 MPH of wind SPEED, the movement
rates
for fliers change by 1". Creatures flying
into the wind must subtract this change
from their movement rate; those going
with the wind may add it. Flying into
the
wind provides lift. A character climbs
10'
for every 1,000' travelled if moving against
the wind, and a character who flies with
the wind sinks 10' for every 500' travelled.
Normal diving
&& climbing procedures (page 50, DMG)
may be used to counteract these effects.
Flying perpendicular
to the wind is filled
with problems. Crosswinds blow fliers
sideways at a SPEED of 1" for every 20
MPH of wind SPEED. For example, a PC on
a hippogriff goes N. while an E. wind
blows at 50 MPH; a day's travel blows
the
character 4 miles off course. Winged fliers
may be unable to control their flight
in
crosswinds.
A special save vs. maneuverability
(as outlined at the start of this article) must be attempted every turn.
Roll
1d20 and subtract one from the result
for
every 10 MPH of wind speed. If the result
is equal to or less than the maneuverability
number, the flier loses flight control,
flips over, and falls for 1d4 seconds:
High
in the air, this is not usually dangerous;
control can be regained in most cases
before hitting the ground. Near the
ground, however, this can be fatal. Details
on stopping a fall are given below.
Thermals are upward gusts of warm air
formed by heat rising from the ground.
They can be used to buoy a flying creature
or to help it fly higher. Cumulus clouds
are
created by thermals, and updrafts are
always beneath them. Hills create updrafts
as well; a 60% chance exists that a given
hill produces a thermal. In such a draft,
flying creatures may climb at 75% of their
normal movement rate (instead of the
normal 50% rate). In aerial combat, wise
fighters fly upwards in a thermal, then
dive on their enemies.
During thunderstorms, a clever flier can
navigate between masses of hot and cold
air. This allows him to stay in the air
with
little effort. If characters dare fly
in such
weather, a flier can travel 1½
times as far
as normal without rest. Of course, thunderstorm
flying is dangerous. Lightning
strikes may occur, strong winds may blow,
and dark clouds must be traversed.
The world below
In the end, most flying PCs engage creatures
on the ground. If only to rest their
mounts, airborne characters must occasionally
leave the air. Many airborne
adventures are inspired by events on the
ground as well. Flying creatures can spy
ahead of a party or attack ground-based
creatures. In Greek myth, Bellerophon
tamed Pegasus in order to attack the monstrous
Chimera from a safe vantage. Many
PCs may have similar aims.
Flying mounts are often used for scouting.
Major geographical features like
mountains or cities can be seen from 40
miles away, adding one mile for every
20?
of the observer?s altitude. Large objects,
like buildings, formations of troops,
etc.,
can be seen at a distance of two miles.
Individual human-sized objects are indistinguishable
by humans beyond 3,000?. It
is possible for living beings to avoid
detection
by freezing in place or adopting camouflage
coloration to match the local
environment. Such beings have a 5%
chance of escaping detection for every
100? of distance from the observer.
To calculate the distance from an airborne
observer to an observed point on
the ground, add the character?s altitude
to
the ground distance to the object
observed. Thus, to a character riding
a
broom of flying at 500? altitude, a person
on the ground 2,600? appears 3,100? away
and thus is beyond his range of sight.
Height is not always an advantage.
Sun glare reduces the maximum range
of vision to one mile. Magical items such
as
eyes of the eagle allow characters to
see
even farther. If the DM allows optical
devices like telescopes, it will be to
the
advantage of aerial observers. Magnifiers
increase the range at which details (such
as individual people) can be seen. A limit
of 40 miles plus one mile per 20? of altitude
remains, even with telescopic equipment.
The curve of the world obscures
objects beyond this range.
It is usually impossible, to spot objects
on
the ground in woodlands. If the leaves
have fallen from the trees, some things
can be discerned (this is one reason why
Agent Orange was sprayed in Vietnam).
In
barren woods, a flier can see objects
as far
away laterally as he is high. Thus, a
character
who is 1,000? high can see objects
1,000? away from the point on the ground
below him. In lightly wooded areas, mansize
creatures can be seen at a maximum
distance of 1,500?. To see this far, a
character
must be flying 1,500' high. Nothing can
be seen in leafy woods.
A winged creature stirs up dust upon
landing on dry soil or sand. This occurs
when the creature is flying 5? or less
above the ground. The dust causes all
characters within 10? to take a penalty
of
-1 on ?to hit? rolls and saving throws.
Near the ground, careless fliers can
collide with things. Boulders, trees,
fences,
and hills often lie in the flier?s path.
Defenders might plant stakes to keep
aerial enemies at a higher altitude. When
a
collision is likely, the airborne character
traveling at ?nap of earth? must roll
above
his maneuverability rating on 1d10 to
avoid the crash. For every 10? of speed,
this save is penalized by ?1. Collisions
do
1-6 hp damage to the mount for every 10?
(rounded down) of movement rate. The
rider takes half damage from the impact.
Unless the rider rolls a result equal
to or
less than his dexterity on 1d20, he will
be
thrown hard enough to stun him for 1d8
rounds (no attacks or shield use possible,
?4 on saving throws and armor class).
This assumes that the rider is tied onto
his
mount, of course. Magical items that fly,
like brooms or carpets of flying, must
save
vs. normal
blow (page 80, DMG) or be
ruined in the collision. If a PC is flying
on
his own power, using a fly spell or potion
of flying, he takes full damage.
An intrepid flier can lean down to
snatch objects from the ground. To grab
an unwilling victim, a grapple roll is
required. This is described in UA,
page 107. <(System I, System
II)>
If the object to be lifted
is at least 50% as heavy as the character
grabbing it, the character must make an
open doors roll to avoid taking an additional
1d6 hp damage from muscle strain,
in which case he also loses whatever he
was trying to grab. If not strapped down,
a PC making any attempt to grab something
from the ground falls off his mount.
A character who falls to the ground takes
1d6 hp damage for every 10? he is traveling,
plus normal falling damage, to a limit
of 20d6 (see below).
Bombardment
and falling
In the course of an aerial adventure,
PCs
may occasionally drop heavy objects. Such
an action may be accidental or it may
be
done on purpose, such as to bomb a target.
Any item dropped from a flying
mount or platform continues in a straight
line at the same forward speed and direction
at which it was released, though the
object?s, actual speed through the air
will
increase due to gravity, and the item
will
head in a diagonal trajectory for the
ground. Inexperienced bombardiers usually
drop objects directly above the victim.
These attacks always miss their target.
To learn accurate bombing techniques,
a
character must experiment with dropping
objects for 20 weeks, subtracting one
week for each point of intelligence the
character has. Once this practice is over,
use normal combat procedures for bombing.
There will be a nonproficiency penalty
unless the PC has taken the aerial bomb
as a weapon of proficiency. The victim?s
armor class is treated as zero (AC 0)
unless
it is naturally better protected than
that.
For every 100' above the target a PC flies,
bombing attacks are at ?1 to hit, regardless
of other factors.
When objects are dropped in flight,
Table 2 is used to show how many feet
ahead of the drop point an object lands.
For example, if the rider of a pegasus
drops his lance, flying 48? at l,000?,
it
lands 800? in front of the point where
it
was dropped. Dropped objects do 1d6 hp
damage for every 10? fallen per 1,000
gp
of weight. Thus, a 10 lb. rock (100 gp
weight) dropped from 500? does 5d6 hp
damage. Every die of damage is equal to
one structural point (pages 109-110,
DMG).
The worst thing that can happen to a
flier is to fall.
Falling
damage, <(WSG)> for the
purposes of this article, is based upon
the
expanded rules in the DSG, pages
19-20. <>
A falling character takes 1d6 hp damage
for the first 10'
he drops, then 2d6 hp damage for the
second 10?, 3d6 for the third 10?, etc.,
to a
maximum of 20d6 damage. The effects of
various surfaces upon falling damage are
given on page 20 of that book.
An airborne creature may go out of
control and drop, regaining control of
its
flight shortly after wards (as noted in
the
section on crosswinds under ?wind
effects?). An object falls at 32?/second²,
which means that the object falls an
increasing amount with each passing
second, but wind resistance slows the
creature's fall. For simplicity?s sake,
Table 3
shows how far an object falls over a short
span of time.
In order to regain control and stop a fall,
the flier must make a maneuverability
check on a 1d6 for each second that the
flier falls. If the number rolled is equal
to
or less than the creature?s maneuverability,
the fall continues. Air
elementals, of
course, do as they please (as noted on
page
53 of the DMG) and take no time at all
to <>
recover.
A flier injured so badly that it must land,
but not so badly that it will crash (see
page
53,
DMG), takes no damage upon landing if
it makes a maneuverability check using
1D10. Failure to make the check results
in
half normal damage from the fall. A flier
so badly injured that it plummets to the
ground (having taken over 75% damage to
its hit points) can save itself only with
a
maneuverability check using 1d4 (i.e.,
only
classes A, B, and C can do so). Making
the
check results in half damage from the
fall;
failure results in full damage. In either
of
the latter events, the injured flier cannot
fly again until it has been fully healed.
Note than anyone riding such a falling
beast takes the same amount of damage
that the beast takes.
The DM may decide
whether or not the
PCs can invent the parachute. This device
would not affect game balance greatly,
and
if the players can think of a logical
reason
why their characters would have had the
idea, they could probably make one. To
work, a parachute must be deployed at
least 1,000? above the ground. The DM
can
assign chances for a parachute not opening
correctly, depending on how well it is
made. A parachute must be 24' wide for
every 200 lbs. it is to carry. If it is
solid,
without a central hole, the parachute
spins
during the fall. This may cause the parachutist
to become dizzy. A PC who uses
such a parachute is incapacitated by vomiting
for 1d10 rounds upon landing. Parachutists
have a 50% chance of taking 1d6
hp damage per landing, modified downward
5% for each jump. There is always a
10% chance of injury.
Maneuvering
It is often important to know how slowly
one can fly. A favorite trick of modern
fighter pilots is to slow down so that
a
pursuer goes past them, then attack from
behind. Flying characters may wish to
slow down near the ground to avoid collisions.
Magical items which allow a PC to
hover allow the flier to travel at any
speed
desired (up to the maximum limit of the
item). Brooms of flying and winged creatures
cannot move slower than half their
normal speed. By curving back and forth,
a character may cover distance more
slowly (possibly forcing an opponent
ahead). This ability is governed by maneuverability
ratings
(see page 52, DMG.)
Remember that a flying creature is always
traveling forward, and that it is impossible
to climb straight up.
Flying mounts can be trained to glide
without wing movement. This type of
flight is utterly silent. Gliding is also
more
stable than flight using flapping wings.
During a glide, archery is performed at
merely a -1 penalty, and long-range fire
is possible.
At the DM's
option, spells may
be cast during a glide. The spell would
have to have a casting time of less than
half the time spent gliding. In addition,
the
spell-caster would have to roll his wisdom
or lower on 1d20 in order to concentrate.
More detail on spell-casting
from an aerial
vantage is provided below.
Training a mount to glide requires ld6
months. While gliding, a mount is one
maneuverability class worse than normal.
Class E creatures are unable to turn in
a
glide at all. In a glide, a creature descends
at least 1? for every 10? traveled forward.
Gliding creatures may dive normally, but
can only climb with the aid of thermals
?
then at 25% of their normal speed. Gliding
speed is limited to 75% of a creature?s
normal movement rate. Note that this does
not change the minimum speed for the
creature, which is always 50% of the
propelled movement rate.
Intelligent PCs may develop artificial
gliders
(see "On a Wing and a Prayer" in this issue).
This should, however, be a
great feat in a fantasy world. As a general
rule, most gliders crash, thus discouraging
hopeful glider-builders.
Gliders statistics
are given in the article "On a Wing and a Prayer."
Gliders may be launched from
cliffs or towers, towed aloft by large
flying
mounts, or pulled behind large, fast,
running
beasts. A launch catapult is also
possible to build.
Magic in the skies
As noted above, spell-casting from an
airborne mount may present a bit of a
problem for fliers. Riders of aerial mounts
may be able to cast spells while controlling
the mounts; this is because the mount
itself is in control of its flying (though
not
of its navigation). To cast a spell, however,
the spell-caster must roll for his concentration
as described above. Spell-casters in
control of gliders and other flying constructs,
or who are using a fly spell, are
unable to cast any spells except for those
which only employ verbal components.
Decisions in this instance are left to
the
discretion of the DM. Some spells may
not
be used normally in the sky or have
altered effects in casting, as noted here:
Cleric spells
Cloudburst:
This may change the sort of
cloud present within the area of effect
(consult Table 1).
Precipitation: See cloudburst.
Druid spells
Call
lightning: Lightning does not strike
a creature that is not grounded, but creatures
with electrical energy of their own
may be struck. Lightning can rise from
the
clouds to strike a charged creature near
them. This spell may attract lightning
to
the caster.
Cloudburst: See the cleric spell cloudburst.
Conjure earth elemental: The earth
elemental cannot fly.
Creeping doom: It is impossible to summon
crawling insects to attack foes in the
sky. This spell only works against ground
creatures.
Precipitation: See the cleric spell precipitation.
Snare: Snares cannot be set in midair.
Transmute water to dust: This spell
turns cloud formations into clear air
within
its area of effect.
Tree: Obviously, a druid who becomes a
tree while riding a mount falls. It might
be
possible to strap a small tree to a carpet
of
flying or similar item. Druids under the
effects of a levitate or fly spell may
simply
hover in tree form.
Wall of thorns: The wall of thorns falls
from the sky (making an unusual bomb).
Magic-user spells
Cacodemon: See conjure elemental.
Chain lightning: See the druid spell call
lightning.
Cloudburst: See the cleric spell cloudburst.
Cloudkill: This cloud slowly sinks to
earth. The magic-user should be directly
above the victim for best effect.
Conjure elemental: It is impossible to
draw protective circles in midair.
Ensnarement: See conjure elemental.
Gust of wind: This spell has the effect
of
a 40 MPH wind.
Lightning bolt: See the druid spell call
lightning.
Precipitation: See the cleric spell cloudburst.
Prismatic sphere: Since the sphere does
not move with the caster, users of flying
brooms or flying creatures may be forced
to pass through their own sphere.
Shocking
grasp: This spell has the normal
effect, regardless of whether or not
the victim is grounded. The caster creates
both positive and negative poles. This
spell
may attract lightning strikes to the caster.
Statue: See the druid spell tree.
Transmute water to dust: See the druid
spell transmute water to dust.
Unseen servant: The unseen servant
cannot fly.
Wall of ice: The wall falls to the ground,
making a heck of a bomb.
Wall of iron: See wall of ice.
Wall of stone: See wall of ice.
Wind wall: This can be treated as a
thermal.
Illusionist
spells
Phantom
wind: This spell affects flying
creatures as a normal wind.
Note that no spells which summon landbased
creatures confer these creatures
with the ability to fly. Any summoned
creatures come to a spot beneath the
caster (i.e., on the ground). This includes
animal summoning, mount, low-level versions
of phantom steed, monster summoning,
shadow monsters, summon shadow,
demi-shadow monsters, conjure animals,
shades, and call woodland beings. A 12th-
13th level phantom steed can be called
in
midair; it is unable to change its altitude,
although it can move about in the sky.
The sky is a strange, new place for
adventuring, yet it can be reached by
clever characters. This article should
provide a starting point for any DM and
players interested in aerial adventuring.
As they say: Happy landings!
Clouds
| Weather | 1 | 2-3 | 4-5 | 6-7 | 8-10 |
| Sunny, no change | B | A | D | D | NC |
| Sunny, will change | NC | C | D | A | B |
| Cloudy, no change | D | A | B | C | E |
| Cloudy, will rain | A | B | C | E | F |
| Rain, rain continues | D | B | C | E | F |
| Rain, clearing | D | B | C | F | E |
| Rapid change | A | B | E | D | D |
Weather patterns are determined using the
weather-generation system of the DM's choice. <NC=No Clouds>
Cloud types follow:
These white clouds occur
at an altitude of above 20,000'. They are long
and thin, and often form patterns or parallel
rows. Cirrus bands often cover 20-80
square miles. Each strand is 100-1000'
thick and 100-1000' long.
Altocumulus clouds are
long and thick, occur at an altitude of
about 10,000' or above, and are approximately
1,000-4,000' thick.
These dark cloud layers exist at an altitude of 15,000'. They are 2,000-8,000' thick.
Cumulus clouds are the
fluffy "fair-weather clouds." They can also
form dark masses of clouds stacked atop
each other in mountainous formations.,
which are responsible for thunderstorms.
Cumulus clouds are usu. round with
billowing surfaces and occur at an altitude
of about 5,000'. Cumulus clouds are
from 1,000-3,000' thick, and cover only
2-20 square miles.
Cumulus clouds produce
lightning. Of course, flying creatures are not grounded ,
thus they are generally unaffected. Still,
any object with an electrical charge may be
struck by lightning. This includes spell-casters
throwing electricity-based magic and
characters who carry electrical magical
items, (like the wand of lightning). These
magicks incl. anything dealing with lightning
and the shocking grasp spell. Any
charged object has a 10% chance per round
of being struck while it is inside a
cumulus cloud. Such a strike does 4-24
HP damage. A save vs. death magic halves
the damage.
These are rolling grey
clouds that occur at altitudes of 2,000'
and above. The surface of these clouds
undulate in a series of peaks and valleys.
Stratocumulus clouds are usu. 1,000-4,000'
thick.
Nimbostratus clouds
are rain clouds. They are dark and thick,
and have rough, rolling peaks. Nimbostratus
clouds occur as low as 2,000'. There is a
50% chance that these clouds are accompanied
by scud, small black patches of
mist at treetop level. Vision is limited
to 5' within nimbostratus clouds, thus making
accurate missile fire virtually impossible.
Any item which is affected by water must
save vs. acid to avoid becoming wet, even
if the item is wrapped. Careful water-proofing,
however, prevents this. A nimbostratus
cloud is 3,000-5,000' thick.
