*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.* # Travel Rounds Travel takes place in increments of 1 [[Week]] (10 [[Day]]) long **Travel Rounds**. A Travel Round unfolds in the following phases: 1. [[#Weather and Nature]] 2. [[#Party Objectives, Travel Pace, and Choosing Roles]] - [[#3. Travel Checks]] 1. [[#Navigating the Hex Map]] 2. [[#Random Encounters]] 3. [[#Rest]] ## 1. Weather and Nature At the beginning of a Travel Round, the Dungeon Master sets the scene for the week ahead, including: #### Weather The Dungeon Master describes the weather and the nature surrounding the players, as determined by their own methods. #### Terrain Difficulty The distance the party can travel is determined by the terrain in the region. If the party will be traveling through multiple types of terrain, simply split the difference in the distance, 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 | Distance (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 | #### High Ground 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. 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. ![[Visibility_Example.png|300]] *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.* ## 2. Party Objectives, Travel Pace, and Choosing Roles Next, the party discusses their intentions for the week, including: - Whether they wish to attempt to **Travel** or **Camp**. - Their intended destination for the week. - Their Travel Pace. - Which roles each member of the party will fill. #### Travel or Camp? The party can **Travel**, potentially moving 1-12 hexes before taking attempting to take a [[Short Rest]] or **Camp**, remaining stationary but attempting to take a [[Long Rest]]. #### Intended Destination If the Party chooses to travel, they may wish to discuss their intended destination, including places they want to avoid or go out of their way to pass through, as this may affect the decisions they must next make. #### Travel Pace The party must decide what pace that they wish to travel at, balancing speed with carefulness, which modifies the success rate of the skill checks made for the week. | Pace | Distance Modifier (Hexes/Week) | Check Modifier | | ------- | ------------------------------ | -------------- | | Hasty | **+4** | Disadvantage | | Normal | **+2** | Normal | | Careful | **+0** | Advantage | #### Choosing Roles Each member of the party must choose a role to play in the Travel Round, or choose to [[Help (Action)|Help]] someone performing a role. A character gains 1 level of [[Exhaustion]] if they fill the same role two weeks in a row, whether they are making the check themselves or providing [[Help (Action)|Help]]. Mandatory: - [[#Guide]] - [[#Scout]] - [[#Hunter]] - [[#Motivator]] - [[#Lookout]] Optional: - [[#Cartographer]] A party member may fill multiple roles without consequence if there are fewer party members than roles. ## 3. Travel Checks Next, the party makes the appropriate checks for their role, starting with the appropriate [[#Guide]] check, either the [[#Traveling Guide Check]] or [[#Camping Guide Check]] depending on the party's choice to **Travel** or **Camp**. 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 acceptable. ## 4. Navigating the Hex Map **If the party has chosen to Travel**: Add up the total number of hexes travel from [[#Terrain Difficulty]] (3 - 7), [[#Travel Pace]] (0 - 4) and the [[#Traveling Guide Check]] (-2 - 1) for a total between **1** and **12**. 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 has chosen to Camp:** They remain in their current hex. #### Becoming Lost If the party *is* **Lost**, the Dungeon Master 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. After this, the party is no longer **Lost**. ![[travel_example.png|400]] *The possible range of travel distance in a Travel Round.* ## 5. Encounters #### Random Encounters Next, the Dungeon Master rolls for random encounters on a pre-prepared table. The Dungeon Master rolls **1d8 + 1d12** to determine which event (if any, occurs). This roll is modified based on the party's [[#Lookout (Random Encounters)#Lookout Check|Lookout Check]]: - **Partial Advantage**. Roll the **d12** with advantage - **Partial Disadvantage**. Roll the **d12** with disadvantage - **Full Disadvantage**. Roll both the **d8** and **d12** with disadvantage. The random encounter is resolved through normal gameplay. #### Non-Random Encounters The Dungeon Master may, of course, also prepare non-random encounters that are sure to occur when the group visits a certain hex or region. ## 6. Rest **If the party chose to Travel** they attempt to take a [[Short Rest]]. **If the party chose to Camp** they attempt to take a [[Long Rest]]. In either case, the party must have and consume set of Rations in order to rest. Rations can be acquired through trade or through successful [[#Hunter Check|Hunter Checks]] while traveling. ##### Interrupted Long Rests If the Party chose to **Camp** but met any of the criteria during the week that would interrupt a Long Rest, their Long Rest is interrupted and the party can evacuate their campsite and instead move at a **Careful** pace and must attempt to spend another week resting to gain the effect of a Long Rest. # Roles ## Guide The Guide leads the party in traversing the terrain, attempting to maximize their travel place, or, in times of rest, simply find a safe place to rest. Unlike the other roles, the Guide roles a slightly different check depending on whether the party is **traveling** or **camping**. #### Traveling Guide Check *Recommended: [[Survival]], [[Nature]]* The **Guide** 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". #### Camping Guide Check *Recommended: [[Survival]], [[Nature]]* If the party is attempting to [[Long Rest]], rather than determining Travel Distance, the Travel Distance is **0** and the **Guide** makes their skill check to determine whether the rest of the group's checks are made normally, at Advantage, or at Disadvantage. The **Guide** must offer a skill of their choice and justify how their choice helps the party locate a safe place to camp. The Dungeon Master must accept this justification. This 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 sufficiently familiar with the terrain (at the DM's discretion) | Check Result | Effect on other Checks | | -------------------- | ---------------------------------- | | Fail | Travel Checks made at Disadvantage | | Success | Travel Checks made Normally | | Success by 5 or more | Travel Checks made at 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". ## Scout The Scout keeps the party appraised of path ahead and the world around them, identifying points of interest as the group travels. #### Scout Check *Recommended: [[Perception]], [[Investigation]]* The **Scout** 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". ## Hunter The Hunter ensures the party is fed and their thirst quenched: Without a significant source of food and water it is impossible for the group to [[#Rest]]. #### Hunter 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". ## Motivator The Motivator maintains the morale of the group as they travel: an especially important role on longer journeys where repeated failures can be disastrous. #### Motivator Check *Recommended: [[Performance]], [[Persuasion]]* The **Motivator** 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 the result as a "Success by 5 or more". ## Lookout The Lookout keeps an eye out for treasure and danger both as the party traverses the wilderness, determining the odds of both positive and negative random encounters with their vigilance. #### Lookout Check *Recommended: [[Perception]], [[Stealth]]* The **Lookout** 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 the result as a "**Success by 5 or more**". ## Cartographer The Cartographer foregoes participating in other checks to attempt to create or expand a [[Map]] of the region. #### Cartographer Check *Requires: Proficiency with [[Cartographer's Tools]]* The **Cartographer** must succeed on a [[Cartographer's Tools]] (Wisdom) check in order to map the region. 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 Cartographer's Tools 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 | Map is not created or expanded | | Success | Map is created or expanded to contain all [[#Visibility & Points of Interest (Scout)\|Visible]] hexes |