Sunspots
The sun seems weirdly blotchy, like something has stained its surface, and the light shining on the ground ahead appears dappled as well. Magic is unpredictable in the area for the next 2 days and every night is moonless, making it completely dark.
Incensed Fauna. The strange light sets beasts and monsters in the area into fits of rage and they attack the party on sight. The party has to overcome at least one random monster encounter while in the area.
Unpredictable Magic. Spells cast at night or in the shade function normally. When a spell is cast in the sunlight, roll 1d4. On a 1 the spell fails, on a 2 the spell fails and the spellcaster rolls on the Wild Magic Surge table, or on a 3 or 4 the spell functions normally and the spellcaster rolls on the Wild Magic Surge table. When rolling on the Wild Magic Surge table because of Sunspots, roll 1d12 instead of 1d10, and a result of 11 or 12 it triggers a critical failure.
This task simply involves traversing the area.
- Trial and error reveals that the sun’s light currently has adverse effects on magic. Traveling at night triggers a success.
- An Arcana, Nature, or Religion check reveals that this is a natural aberration of the sun, not the effect of interference.
- An Investigation check determines that spellcasting functions normally in the shade.
Potential Outcomes
Critical Failure: A spell fails dramatically and without warning, debilitating everyone nearby. Each of the adventurers is slowed for the next 7 (2d6) hours.
Failure: Each adventurer loses 8 (2d6+1) Supply from stumbling around in the dark or when briefly blinded by the sun’s strange behavior.
Success: The adventurers travel through the area unhindered.
Critical Success: The adventurers travel through the area unhindered and the phenomenon uncovers something interesting. Roll on the Boons and Discoveries table.
Leave It Be
Bypassing the capricious anomaly or hoping it subsides is possible but takes a great deal of time—safely traveling around it costs an extra 4 (1d6+1) days of travel time.