Some hardship builds character, some just amuse the DM....

Friends,

I love realism that is useful in the game and presents interesting options.

As some of you are aware, in this campaign setting, there was an empire (the Legardian Empire) c.1000 years ago which controlled this region and were founded in a land far to the east of present day Dohral. That empire largely is analog to the Roman empire of the real world and has a history that parallels Rome.

I recently was referencing an event in RL Rome history that has a direct analog in the game world, this being the Varius Catastrophe

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Teutoburg_Forest

wiki wrote:The line of march was now stretched out perilously long—between 15 and 20 kilometres (9.3 and 12.4 mi). It was in this state when it came under attack by Germanic warriors armed with light swords, large lances and narrow-bladed short spears called fremae. The attackers surrounded the entire Roman army, and rained down javelins on the intruders. Arminius, recalling his education in Rome, understood his enemies' tactics, and was able to direct his troops to counter them effectively by using locally superior numbers against the dispersed Roman legions. The Romans managed to set up a fortified night camp, and the next morning broke out into the open country north of the Wiehen Hills, near the modern town of Ostercappeln. The break-out was accompanied by heavy losses to the Roman survivors, as was a further attempt to escape by marching through another forested area, as the torrential rains continued. The rain prevented them from using their bows because the sinew strings become slack when wet, and rendered them virtually useless. Their shields and armor also became waterlogged and heavy.

Mmmmm you can just smell the realism here.

So, I'm thinking...

Wet armor should give even higher DEX mod limits and have higher STR requirements as it gets heavier (the leather base of all armor can absorb water) when wet. This makes movement more audible (harder to STEALTH) and more energy-consuming (fatigue).  

Wet bows should fail and possibly break when used.  

New ITEM 'spare bowstring'.

New ITEM 'well oiled leather sack' in which bows or armor could be kept dry while the PC is in the rain or goes swimming.  

New TRIGGER 'mud' which adds SLOW effect while creatures is within the trigger, AND adds 'dirty' and 'wet' to all who enter it. Maybe even a chance of fall or loss of boots? LOL

Feedback?