Swamp decay

Swamp decay
Released		13 July 2004 (Update)
Type		Area effect
Deadly		Yes
Protection		Silver sickle (b), rod of ivandis, fire of dehumidification
Map

Swamp decay is an area effect that occurs in part of the Mort Myre Swamp. Entering the decay area (shown below) triggers the decay timer, which counts down from two minutes; if players are still inside the decay area when their timer hits zero, a green gas cloud will appear and hit them for between one and three damage, and the timer will start over. The damage can be lethal.

Equipping a blessed silver sickle or a rod of ivandis (or simply having them in the inventory) will prevent the decay timer from starting. The Fire of Dehumidification will also prevent the timer from counting down. Leaving the swamp via the northern gate will also stop the timer.

Whenever the player enters the decay area, the decay timer will start counting down. When the timer hits zero, players receive a chatbox message (unless they left the swamp via the northern gate to Canifis). Players who teleport out of the swamp will still receive a chatbox message when their timer reaches zero, but the timer will not start over.

• If players are outside the decay area when their decay timer hits zero, they will receive the message The swamp decay effect is now over.. After receiving this message, the timer won't restart until players re-enter the decay area.
• If players are inside the decay area when their timer hits zero, they will receive the message The swamp decays you! and take 1-3 damage. After taking damage, the timer will start counting down again, following the same rules as before.

The locations that count as being in the decay area are based on map zones, a term used to describes an area of 64x64 game tiles that Jagex uses to organise the World Map. Because the decay effect is applied to map zones, and not individual tiles, a small number of tiles that are outside of Morytania can also deal damage to players who have triggered their decay timer.

If players leave the decay area by methods other than the north gate, but then re-enter the map zones containing the decay area before their timer reaches zero, they will take damage from swamp decay and their timer will restart. It will continue to count down and restart until they step outside of these areas for at least two minutes.

Locations outside of Morytania that are in the decay area are the island near the Nature Grotto, the eastern-most part of the Digsite, and a small handful of tiles north-east of the Mage Training Arena.

The decay timer is only started by entering the decay area from either the northern gate from Canifis, the southern bridge from Mort'ton, using the fairy ring BKR, leaving the Myreque Hideout, or taking the Mort'ton rowboat. Entering parts of the decay area without using one of these entrances (for example, by taking fairy ring BIP and standing on the tip of the island) will not trigger the effect.

If players have started their timer, they will take damage if they're standing in any of the tiles in the chunk when the timer hits 0, even if they teleported out. Players who exit the swamp via the northern gate can safely stand in these areas after leaving, as using the gate cancels the timer entirely.

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