*A set of 1-week increment travel rules that build on our previous versions with the goal of keeping a **brisk pace**, encouraging **player creativity** and creating a feeling of **epic scale** and the **passage of time** in the world.* # Format ## Timescale A round of travel takes place over 1 [[Week]] (10 days) in-world. How well or poorly the travel goes depends on multiple factors and skill checks and clever thinking by the adventuring party. ## Group Participation A player character may contribute to only one check per round of travel: either by rolling a skill check, using an ability, spell, or class feature, or providing the [[Help (Action)|Help Action]] to another character. **A character gains 1 level of [[Exhaustion]] if they fill the same role two weeks in a row.** ## Travel Checks As a general rule, *any* skill could be applicable to the situations encountered during travel and exploration. Some skills are easier to imagine a use for than others. For example, [[Survival]] and [[Nature]] are immediately and obviously useful in the wilderness. Any skill check can be bypassed with an automatic success by the casting of an appropriate spell or use of an appropriate feature, such as [[Speak With Plants]] or [[Speak With Animals]]. Ultimately, the Dungeon Master decides whether the justification for a particular skill, spell, or feature is sound. # Weather & Nature The Dungeon Master describes the weather and the nature surrounding the players, as determined by their own methods (Hex Flower, etc.) The Dungeon Master may choose specific points of **High Ground** and reveal any **High Ground** within 5 hexes of the players, regardless of if that hex has been discovered. For example, a tall mountain might be visible from miles away. These are points of increased [[#Visibility & Points of Interest|Visibility]]. # Travel Distance (Guide) First, the party declares their intended direction/destination. The distance traveled during the week is determined by 3 aspects, **Terrain Difficulty**, **Travel Pace** and a **Skill Check**. ## Terrain Difficulty The base-pace of travel is determined by the terrain. If travel goes through multiple types of terrain, simply split the difference in the pace, regardless of how many hexes of which type of terrain are present. The types of terrain and their attributes are as follows: | Terrain Type | Examples | Pace (Hexes/Week) | Check DC | | ------------------ | ----------------- | ----------------- | -------- | | Easy Terrain | Roads, Grasslands | **+7** | 10 | | Medium Terrain | Jungles, Hills | **+5** | 15 | | Difficult Terrain | Mountains, Swamps | **+3** | 20 | | Impossible Terrain | Hell | **+3** | 25 | ## Travel Pace The party chooses the pace that they wish to travel at, balancing speed with carefulness, which modifies the success rate of the skill checks made for the week. | Travel Speed | Pace (Hexes/Week) | Check Modifiers | | | ------------ | ----------------- | --------------- | --- | | Hasty | **+4** | Disadvantage | | | Normal | **+2** | Normal | | | Careful | **+0** | Advantage | | ## Skill Check *Recommended: [[Survival]], [[Nature]]* A member of the party must offer a skill of their choice and justify how their choice helps the party navigate the terrain. The Dungeon Master must accept this justification. This Skill Check can benefit from the use of a suitable [[Map]] (+5 to check). The DC of the check is determined by the [[#Terrain Difficulty]]. The check is made at Advantage if: - Another member of the party proficient in that skill uses the [[Help (Action)|Help Action]] - The party is moving at a **Careful Travel Pace**. - The Party is sufficiently familiar with the terrain (at the DM's discretion) The check is made at Disadvantage if: - The party is moving at a **Hasty Travel Pace**. | Check Result | Effect on Pace (Hexes/Week) | | -------------------- | ----------------------------------- | | Fail by 5 or more | **-2**, The party becomes **Lost**. | | Fail | **-1** | | Success | **+0** | | Success by 5 or more | **+1** | Alternatively, a member of the party may use an appropriate spell or feature and simply count count the result as a "Success by 5 or more". ![[travel_example.png|400]] *The possible range of travel pace in 1 week.* ## Navigating the Hex Map Add up the total number of hexes travel from **Terrain Difficulty**, **Travel Pace** and the **Skill Check**. The party may move that may hexes as they see fit. If the party is not **Lost**, they arrive in that hex with certainty. If the party *is* **Lost**, the DM rolls **1d3** and alters the party's final position to a location that many hexes away from their intended destination in a random direction, but not into a space further than their pace would allow them to travel from their starting point. # Visibility & Points of Interest (Scout) The party always receives information about the terrain in the adjacent hexes in all directions as they travel. However, Points of Interest typically require a **Skill Check** to locate. Alternatively, the party may visit **High Ground** hexes for guaranteed visibility and discovery of Points of Interest. ## High Ground Traveling through a **High Ground** hex offers **5** hexes of visibility, revealing all Points of Interest within. This visibility is obscured only by another tall landmark. ## Skill Check *Recommended: [[Perception]], [[Investigation]]* A member of the party must offer a skill of their choice and justify how their choice helps the party locate points of interest. The Dungeon Master must accept this justification. This Skill Check can benefit from the use of a suitable [[Map]] (+5 to check). The DC of the check is determined by the [[#Terrain Difficulty]]. The check is made at Advantage if: - Another member of the party proficient in that skill uses the [[Help (Action)|Help Action]] - The party is moving at a **Careful Travel Pace**. - The Party is sufficiently familiar with the terrain (at the DM's discretion, though if this is the case they probably already know the Points of Interest...) The check is made at Disadvantage if: - The party is moving at a **Hasty Travel Pace**. | Check Result | Points of Interest Found | | -------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | Fail | 0 | | Success | All within 1 Hex | | Success by 5 or more | All within 1 Hex + Information about the closest undiscovered point of interest <= 5 hexes away. | Alternatively, a member of the party may use an appropriate spell or feature and simply count count the result as a "Success by 5 or more". ![[Visibility_Example.png|500]] *What the visibility from the top of this mountain might look like, allowing a clear view of a large portion of the Balevon River Basin.* # Food & Rest (Hunter) Without a significant source of food, it is impossible to take a [[Short Rest]]. Food can be brought along on the adventure in the form of **Rations** or be hunted or gathered in the form of a **Skill Check**. ## Rations The party may consume 1 set of [[Rations]] to take a [[Short Rest]]. A week's worth of Rations cost **5 x the Number of Party Members** in [[Gold]]. ## Skill Check *Recommended: [[Survival]], [[Animal Handling]]* A member of the party must offer a skill of their choice and justify how their choice helps the party find food. The Dungeon Master must accept this justification. The DC of the check is determined by the [[#Terrain Difficulty]]. The check is made at Advantage if: - Another member of the party proficient in that skill uses the [[Help (Action)|Help Action]] - The party is moving at a **Careful Travel Pace**. The check is made at Disadvantage if: - The party is moving at a **Hasty Travel Pace**. | Check Result | Rations Found | | -------------------- | ------------- | | Fail | 0 | | Success | 1 | | Success by 5 or more | 2 | Alternatively, a member of the party may use an appropriate spell or feature and simply count count the result as a "Success by 5 or more". # Morale (Motivator) Maintaining morale is important, especially over longer journeys, represented by a **Skill Check** made each week. ## Skill Check *Recommended: [[Performance]], [[Persuasion]]* A member of the party must offer a skill of their choice and justify how their choice helps the party maintain their morale. The Dungeon Master must accept this justification. The DC of the check is determined by the [[#Terrain Difficulty]]. The check is made at Advantage if: - Another member of the party proficient in that skill uses the [[Help (Action)|Help Action]] - The party is moving at a **Careful Travel Pace**. The check is made at Disadvantage if: - The party is moving at a **Hasty Travel Pace**. | Check Result | Modifier to next week's checks: | | -------------------- | ------------------------------- | | Fail | **-1d4** | | Success | **+0** | | Success by 5 or more | **+1d4** | Alternatively, a member of the party may use an appropriate spell or feature and simply count count the result as a "Success by 5 or more". # Random Encounters (Lookout) ## Skill Check *Recommended: [[Perception]], [[Stealth]]* A member of the party must offer a skill of their choice and justify how their choice helps the party avoid danger or search for a boon. The Dungeon Master must accept this justification. The DC of the check is determined by the [[#Terrain Difficulty]]. The check is made at Advantage if: - Another member of the party proficient in that skill uses the [[Help (Action)|Help Action]] - The party is moving at a **Careful Travel Pace**. The check is made at Disadvantage if: - The party is moving at a **Hasty Travel Pace**. | Check Result | Modifier to Random Encounters: | | --------------------- | ---------------------------------- | | Fail by 5 or more | DM rolls with full disadvantage | | Fail | DM rolls with partial disadvantage | | Success | DM rolls straight | | Success by 5 or more | DM rolls with partial advantage | Alternatively, a member of the party may use an appropriate spell or feature and simply count count the result as a "**Success by 5 or more**". ## DM Role The Dungeon Master prepares a table of 19 possible encounters (2-20), some helpful, others harmful, with more inconsequential results in the middle, based on what is appropriate for the area being traveled in. The DM rolls 1d8 + 1d12 to determine which event (if any, occurs). At partial advantage, roll the d12 with advantage At partial disadvantage, roll the d12 with disadvantage at full disadvantage, roll both the d8 and d12 with disadvantage. The random encounter is resolved through normal gameplay. ![[1d81d12Probability Examples.png]] *Examples of the varying probabilities of a random encounter.*