Resources Matter

In the Stygian Depths, survival is defined by what you can carry, what you can preserve, and what inevitably breaks.

Resources are limited, difficult to replace, and constantly under pressure.

Food and Water

Every character must consume food and water regularly to avoid weakening.

• Each character must consume 1 ration per day
• Water is assumed to be included with rations unless otherwise stated
• Rations must be tracked

Without food:

• Characters become weakened
• Penalties accumulate the longer starvation continues
• Extended deprivation may result in injury or death at the DM’s discretion

Resting

Resting is dangerous in the Depths. Stopping to recover always carries risk.

Short Rest (1 hour)

• Characters can eat, drink, and bind wounds
• Does NOT restore Hit Points
• Triggers a random encounter check

Long Rest (8 hours)

• Recover one hit die worth of HP
• Regain all lost spells
• Remove exhaustion
• Requires a safe or defensible location
• Triggers multiple random encounter checks

Light as a Resource

Light is one of the most critical and fragile resources in the Depths.

• Torches burn out
• Lantern oil runs out
• Magical light can fail, be dispelled, or attract attention

Running out of light places the party at severe disadvantage and increases the risk of ambush, disorientation, and corruption.

Ammunition

Ammunition must be tracked.

• Arrows, bolts, and thrown weapons are limited
• Some ammunition may be recovered after combat at the DM’s discretion
• Broken or lost ammunition is gone

Gear Attrition

The Stygian Depths are hostile to equipment.

• Weapons can break or become damaged
• Armor can degrade over time
• Tools wear down or snap under stress
• Environmental hazards accelerate gear failure

The DM may call for gear checks after extreme use, critical failures, environmental exposure, or prolonged travel.

Why This Matters

Resource pressure drives decision-making.

Every torch burned, every ration eaten, and every risk taken pushes the party closer to either escape or ruin.

Running out of resources does not simply make things harder — it changes the nature of the game.