Adventuring through a forest fire.

[RangerWickett]

Say you're a group of adventurers, and there are scattered forest fires in the nearby woods. You know some townsfolk were out in the woods, and you've been entreated by the mayor to rescue them. Also, you suspect some sort of demon is responsible for starting these fires, so you probably should kill it before it can ruin the local lumber economy for other towns.

How do you handle this situation? What spells and items do you use to make it possible to avoid the fire, or survive the fire if you get trapped in it? Also, you'll eventually have to go into the fire to find the demon responsible, so how do you protect yourself against prolonged exposure?

I'd like answers at different adventurer levels. F'rinstance, before 3rd level (and resist energy), I don't think there's any way you could pull this off, but afterward your options open up. Also, for the sake of the exercise (which is to survive a forest fire), assume that scrying and teleporting after the demon just won't work. You actually have to travel physically to find him.

 

[RangerWickett]

Okay, a forest fire would not deal more than d6 points of damage/round as long as you don't actually step into a fire. The ambient air might be 400 degrees or higher, but I wouldn't peg that above d6/round. So resist energy would work, and with a duration of 10 minutes/level, you could make forays, but you couldn't spend a long time in the fire. A low level party might have scrolls, or a wand, though I doubt a typical party has tons of uses of resist energy stored up.

Rope trick might provide an escape if the fire comes upon you and you can't outrun it. Fly could get you above it, but the rest of your party would be in trouble.

 

[blargney the second]

Fight fire with fire: burn everything in sight.

 

[blargney the second]

By the way, a real forest fire is a nightmare. The fire sets up very strong air currents that feed into the base of the fire. The currents do three nasty things:
1) they make the fire burner hotter and higher,
2) they make the fire spread faster, and
3) they can suck you right into the inferno. (like what happens with trains rushing past people)

As hazards go, a forest fire is really really dangerous.

 

[Tonguez]

By the way, a real forest fire is a nightmare. The fire sets up very strong air currents that feed into the base of the fire. The currents do three nasty things:
1) they make the fire burner hotter and higher,
2) they make the fire spread faster, and
3) they can suck you right into the inferno. (like what happens with trains rushing past people)

- cool Fire Elementals now get Improved Grab

 

[DrNilesCrane]

Hmmm...I think this is a very nifty premise for an adventure - you should create something for Dungeon with this senario!

 

[Joshua Randall]

Here is a helpful thread about forest fires.

 

[RangerWickett]

Hmmm...I think this is a very nifty premise for an adventure - you should create something for Dungeon with this senario!

That's the idea, actually.

 

[TheAuldGrump]

Hmmm, I am trying to remember the name of a battle during the American Civil War that took place during a forest fire... the thing was a nightmare. I am planning an adventure in the Iron Kindoms modeled after the battle.

The Auld Grump, I want to say Second Battle of the Wilderness, but somehow I don't think that is it...

 

[Soel]

- cool Fire Elementals now get Improved Grab

My players are gonna get it....