🔴 Red River and [Mist Exposure] Rules
The Red River is not meant to kill you fast.
It kills the careless, the proud, and the unprepared.
The Red River is not muddy or bloody—it runs red with chemical effluents from a subterranean ammonia-fed lake. It is dangerous in mist, deadlier in rain, and nearly unlivable without preparation. No one lives along its banks. But everyone who crosses it will pay a price.
Water Properties
- Taste: Bitter, metallic
- Smell: Like air after lightning
- Color: Red from chemical effluent (not sediment)
[Mist Exposure] ⚠️
- Trigger: Being out in Red River mist, rain, or fog
- Frequency: Once per day (per person)
- Seasonal: In autumn, exposure occurs twice per day until the river freezes
Save vs CON or WIL
On failure, roll 1d8:
| d8 | Effect |
|---|---|
| 1 | [Fatigue] |
| 2–4 | [Confusion] (disadvantage on next decision) |
| 5–7 | [Skin Irritation] (-1 CHA, visible [rash]) |
| 8 | [Throat Damage] (cannot speak, -1 WIL until treated) |
💧 Other [Mist Exposure] Triggers:
- Drinking untreated river water
- Eating uncooked or unpurified river fish
- Swimming or full contact with Red River water
- Rain exposure (unless protected)
🛡️ How to Avoid [Mist Exposure]
| Method | Effect |
|---|---|
| Clean water (1/day) | Avoids waterborne exposure entirely |
| Riverfolk Tea | +4 to next Save vs Exposure |
| Sacred Plants | Ignore the first failed Save that day |
| Boil & strain water | Removes exposure risk (uses time & fuel) |
| Protective salves/wraps | Blocks skin contact from mist and rain |
Riverfolk Tea and sacred herbs can be foraged or traded. Salves must be crafted or purchased.
🧬 Optional Consequences
- Fail 3 saves in a week? Gain a Red River Affliction (scar, tremor, stat loss, or mutation)
- Store water too long here? Spoils and loses purity
- Exposed while [exhausted]? Save at disadvantage
- Crossing while it is frozen? No mist effects, but increase cold damage risk
Stay dry. Stay sharp.
Don’t trust the fish.