Drowning

Drowning

Underwater

A Drowning character or creature is driven by a single imperative: to breathe. Unable to obtain sufficient air, the victim instinctively prioritizes reaching a place where breathing is possible. By default, all available actions are directed toward escaping the water, reaching the surface, or otherwise alleviating the condition.

Creatures with a sufficiently strong Will may be able to overcome this imperative temporarily and take other actions. Doing so requires resisting the body's urgent demand for air, particularly as the effects of oxygen deprivation worsen. The precise limits depend on the victim's capabilities and the circumstances of the drowning.

Drowning Causes

Drowning occurs when a character or creature is submerged in water or another liquid and cannot breathe adequately. It may result from an inability to swim, exhaustion, environmental hazards, or deliberate interference by another creature. Even a capable swimmer may drown when conditions prevent them from reaching the surface or maintaining access to air.

Examples include:

• Falling into water without the ability to swim
• Rough water, strong currents, or waves that prevent reaching the surface
• Fatigue or exhaustion that leaves a swimmer unable to stay afloat
• Encumbrance or equipment that impedes swimming
• Being forcibly held underwater by another creature
• Being trapped underwater or in a submerged enclosure
• Diving too deep without a reliable means of breathing
• Magical effects, curses, or archetypal powers that prevent breathing or impede escape

Drowning Effects

In combat, a Drowning character or creature may move and take actions that directly help alleviate the condition. These include swimming toward the surface, escaping restraints, moving toward breathable air, or attacking a creature that is preventing escape.

Actions unrelated to alleviating Drowning generally require a successful Will check. For example, a victim might attempt to attack a giant octopus dragging them beneath the waves, rather than devoting every effort to escaping. A failed check means the victim's imperative to breathe takes precedence and the unrelated action is lost.

Drowning also exposes the victim to Asphyxiation Damage while they remain unable to breathe. The longer the condition continues, the more difficult it becomes to act effectively, and the less likely the victim is to rescue themselves.

Removing the Drowning Condition

Removing Drowning requires restoring access to breathable air or eliminating whatever prevents the victim from breathing. Curative magic may help with the resulting damage, but it does not necessarily remove the condition while the victim remains submerged or restrained.

Possible methods include:

• Reaching the surface or moving to a place where breathing is possible
• Rescuing the victim from the water
• Escaping restraints or defeating the creature holding the victim underwater
• Using breathing apparatus or breathing potions
• Applying magic that provides breathable air or permits underwater breathing
• Using archetypal powers or magical artefacts that sustain breathing
• Countering a curse, spell, or other supernatural effect responsible for the condition

Once the victim can breathe again, Drowning ends. The victim may nevertheless require treatment and recovery from accumulated Asphyxiation Damage.

Long Term Drowning Effects

Continued Drowning causes progressive physical impairment as the victim is deprived of oxygen. The victim may become Dazed, lose the ability to coordinate movements, and eventually become Unconscious. At that point, they can no longer reliably act to escape, making rescue by another creature increasingly important.

If the victim remains unable to breathe, Asphyxiation Damage continues until their Body Points reach zero, resulting in Dead. Drowning therefore demands immediate action: even a strong swimmer or powerful creature may succumb if unable to regain access to air in time.

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