Drillian - The Mist

There is a saying from the travelers through Drillian that "The Mists get in your blood" and that "The Mist will draw you back". This could come from the idea that even the most unlikely creatures that inhabit the swamps seem to get unnatural powers from the Mist. There has been a war running between the Paladins sworn to protect and the various hordes from the swamp and the Vampire Lord's minions.

A full two thirds or more of Drillian is covered by the Mist. The Mist is said to emanate from the Vampire Overlords Castle deep in the Great Swamp south of Drillian. The Mist blocks much of the natural light as well as having a magical effect. There are no sun rises or sun sets in this part of the world, only a dull glow in the sky marks the passage of time. There are no stars at night and the moon glows like a silver sun in the nights mists. The Mist blocks all divination and traveling magics and also dampens any healing magics. There are negative modifiers for Priests who attempt to Turn Undead in the Mist. It also creates a barrier even for travel through the planes. Only the Paladins laying of hands is not affected. The Mist dissipates the farther north from the swamp it reaches and the northern stretches of Drillian are not affected by the Mist. There are three ways of describing the effects of The Mist - Light, Thick and Dense.

Mist Sickness

The first time characters enter The Mist they are subject to a Health check to determine how long they will suffer from increased effect of The Mist closing down on them. Failure of this check means the character is significantly incapacitated {one half Health and one half Stamina} for up to two weeks. Success limits this effect to only one to two days. Priests who fail their check loose the ability to cast all spells for one to two days and then all spells are cast as being one level higher {1^st levels spells count at 2^nd level spells} for the duration of Mist Sickness. Healing spells of any type are not available to a Priest while under any type of Mist Sickness. Those that have failed their checks cannot heal normally for one to two days as they adjust to their new restrictions. After characters have gone past the first days of entering The Mist they can heal normally or with magic. Characters that are familiar with The Mist for a substantial amount of time still need to make a Health check when returning but suffer a greatly reduced amount of Mist Sickness if they fail their check. All characters are at a minus two to all saves while suffering from Mist Sickness. Crossing the barrier from Light Mist to Thick Mist or again into Dense Mist will require another Health check but with a +4 bonus if there is no other associated Mist Sickness still lingering.

Elves are particularly susceptible to Mist Sickness, even Drow, and have a -4 to their Health checks. None of the Elven special abilities function during Mist Sickness and take a full week of recovery afterward before they return.

These effects also apply in reverse for those that leave The Mist for the first time in their lives as they learn the effect of sunlight and open access to all spells.

Many of the richer noble houses of Drillian have built lighthouses to help guide the way through The Mist.

Timeline for the spread of The Mist

• 248 SKR First emanation of The Mist in the Great Swamp
• 274 SKR The Mist crosses the Cowles Estates
• 1-5-275 the Order of Brotherhood is founded at the Uklo Estates
• 326 SKR The Mist crosses the Quellcon Estates

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