Difference between revisions of "Exploration (5A)"
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[[#Blasted Badlands|Blasted Badlands]], | [[#Blasted Badlands|Blasted Badlands]], | ||
[[#Country Shire|Country Shire]], | [[#Country Shire|Country Shire]], | ||
− | [[#Haunted Lands|Haunted Lands | + | [[#Haunted Lands|Haunted Lands]]. |
− | |||
=== Cook === | === Cook === | ||
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[[#Flowing River|Flowing River]], | [[#Flowing River|Flowing River]], | ||
[[#Frozen Wastes|Frozen Wastes]], | [[#Frozen Wastes|Frozen Wastes]], | ||
− | [[#Restless Sea|Restless Sea]] | + | [[#Restless Sea|Restless Sea]]. |
− | |||
'''Disadvantage | '''Disadvantage | ||
Line 147: | Line 145: | ||
'''Advantage | '''Advantage | ||
− | [[# | + | [[#Country Shire|Country Shire]], |
[[#Feywood|Feywood]], | [[#Feywood|Feywood]], | ||
[[#Open Roads|Open Roads]]. | [[#Open Roads|Open Roads]]. | ||
Line 162: | Line 160: | ||
'''Advantage | '''Advantage | ||
− | [[# | + | [[#Fiery Hellscape|Fiery Hellscape]], |
[[#Haunted Lands|Haunted Lands]], | [[#Haunted Lands|Haunted Lands]], | ||
[[#Restless Sea|Restless Sea]], | [[#Restless Sea|Restless Sea]], | ||
Line 234: | Line 232: | ||
: '''Failure.''' The adventurer gains <span style="background-color:yellow">1</span> <span style="text-decoration: line-through;background-color:coral">no</span> Supply. | : '''Failure.''' The adventurer gains <span style="background-color:yellow">1</span> <span style="text-decoration: line-through;background-color:coral">no</span> Supply. | ||
: '''Success.''' The adventurer gains 1<span style="background-color:yellow">d6 + the character's Wisdom modifier</span> Supply per day spent doing this journey activity. | : '''Success.''' The adventurer gains 1<span style="background-color:yellow">d6 + the character's Wisdom modifier</span> Supply per day spent doing this journey activity. | ||
− | : '''Critical Success.''' The adventurer gains double the Supply. | + | : '''Critical Success.''' The adventurer gains double the Supply of a success. |
'''Advantage | '''Advantage | ||
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=== <span style="background-color:yellow">Pathfinding</span> === | === <span style="background-color:yellow">Pathfinding</span> === | ||
− | If not following a marked route or road or | + | If not following a marked route or road or following other creatures using [[#Track|Track]], one adventurer in the team must be pathfinding. |
Roll '''Nature, Survival, or Intelligence (Navigator’s Tools)'''. | Roll '''Nature, Survival, or Intelligence (Navigator’s Tools)'''. | ||
A good [[Adventuring_Gear_(5A)#Maps_and_Rutters|Map]] gives advantage. | A good [[Adventuring_Gear_(5A)#Maps_and_Rutters|Map]] gives advantage. | ||
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[[#Feywood|Feywood]], | [[#Feywood|Feywood]], | ||
[[#Fiery Hellscape|Fiery Hellscape]], | [[#Fiery Hellscape|Fiery Hellscape]], | ||
+ | [[#Open Roads|Open Roads]], | ||
[[#Parched Sands|Parched Sands]], | [[#Parched Sands|Parched Sands]], | ||
[[#Restless Sea|Restless Sea]], | [[#Restless Sea|Restless Sea]], | ||
[[#Tangled Forest|Tangled Forest]], | [[#Tangled Forest|Tangled Forest]], | ||
[[#Underland Realm|Underland Realm]]. | [[#Underland Realm|Underland Realm]]. | ||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
=== <span style="background-color:yellow">Peddle</span> === | === <span style="background-color:yellow">Peddle</span> === | ||
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=== Rob === | === Rob === | ||
− | Adventurers can force others into handing over their coins with '''Intimidation''', sell snake oil using ''' | + | Adventurers can force others into handing over their coins with '''Intimidation''', sell snake oil using '''Deceit''', pickpocket travelers with '''Sleight of Hand''', or gamble using '''Charisma (Gaming Set)''' proficiency. |
: '''Critical Failure.''' A potential victim turns out to be <span style="background-color:yellow">the law or</span> a rival adventuring party of similar capabilities and a fight ensues. | : '''Critical Failure.''' A potential victim turns out to be <span style="background-color:yellow">the law or</span> a rival adventuring party of similar capabilities and a fight ensues. | ||
: '''Failure.''' No gold is gained. <span style="background-color:yellow">Disadvantage on further rolls to Rob in this region as rumors spread.</span> | : '''Failure.''' No gold is gained. <span style="background-color:yellow">Disadvantage on further rolls to Rob in this region as rumors spread.</span> | ||
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: '''Failure.''' The party falls back an extra day between themselves and their prey for each day spent doing this journey activity. | : '''Failure.''' The party falls back an extra day between themselves and their prey for each day spent doing this journey activity. | ||
: '''Success.''' The party continues to follow their prey. | : '''Success.''' The party continues to follow their prey. | ||
− | : '''Critical Success.''' The | + | : '''Critical Success.''' The tracker outsmarts the quarry and can take a shortcut, and the party gains a day’s worth of travel covering the distance between them and their prey for each day spent doing this journey activity. |
'''Advantage | '''Advantage | ||
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'''Advantage | '''Advantage | ||
− | Busk, Cover Tracks, Peddle, Pray (local religion), Rob. | + | Busk, Cover Tracks, Pathfinding, Peddle, Pray (local religion), Rob. |
'''Disadvantage | '''Disadvantage | ||
Line 563: | Line 559: | ||
'''Impossible | '''Impossible | ||
− | + | Trailblazing. | |
=== Parched Sands === | === Parched Sands === | ||
Line 621: | Line 617: | ||
'''Advantage | '''Advantage | ||
− | + | Scout. | |
=== Tangled Forest === | === Tangled Forest === |
Revision as of 15:13, 22 April 2022
Starfox's 5th Edition Fan Page |
This is excerpts and expansion upon Level Up—Trials and Treasures, the exploration chapter.
Travel Times
Pace | Rate of Travel | Time per hex | Effect | |||
Minute | Hour | Day | 3 Miles | 12 Miles | ||
Crawl | 50 feet | 1/2 mile | 4 miles | 6 hours | 3 days | Advantage on Survival checks. to hide tracks. |
Slow/Wagon | 200 feet | 2 miles | 16 miles | 90 minutes | 6 hours | — |
Normal/Cart | 300 feet | 3 miles | 24 miles | 3 hours | 12 hours | Unable to use Stealth |
Fast/Mounted | 400 feet | 4 miles | 32 miles | 45 minutes | 3 hours | –5 penalty to passive Perception and disadvantage on Perception and all ability checks. Only sustainable for an hour unless speed 40 ft. |
Gallop | 800 feet | 8 miles | 64 miles | 22 minutes | 90 minutes | Only sustainable for an hour unless speed 80 ft. Impossible if speed less than 40 ft. Disadvantage on all ability checks. Survival checks to track. |
Exploration Criticals
For exploration checks, any roll that exceeds the difficulty by 10 is a critical success, and any roll that is 10 under the DC is a critical failure.
Terms
Boon
An advantage or gain suitable to the occasion, from finding minor items to shortcuts, adventure clues, resting places, and wondrous encounters.
Expertise Die
Expertise dice are a mechanic from Level Up that I choose to simplify. The first expertise die gives a +2 bonus. Each expertise die thereafter gives a +1 bonus.
Fatigue and Strife
Two new conditions in A5E, both using tiered ranks.
- Fatigue represents exhaustion, exposure, hunger, injuries, and other physical factors which gradually wear a creature down.
- Strife represents corruption, despair, fear, resolve, and other mental factors which gradually undo a creature’s very soul.
Level | Fatigue | Strife |
1 | Cannot Sprint | Disadvantage on Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma checks |
2 | Disadvantage on Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution checks | Disadvantage on concentration checks, cannot use the Help action. |
3 | Speed halved and unable to maintain a fast travel pace. | Can only take a bonus action or action each turn (not both) |
4 | Disadvantage on attack rolls and saving throws using Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution. Unable to maintain a normal travel pace |
Disadvantage on attack rolls and saving throws using Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma |
5 | Hit Dice halved. Mounts die. | Suffer the effects of a randomly determined short-term mental stress effect. |
6 | Speed reduced to 5 ft. and unable to maintain a slow travel pace | Cannot cast spells (but can cast cantrips) |
7 | Doomed | Suffer the effects of a randomly determined long-term mental stress effect. |
Exploration Actions
Difficulty Class. The DC of a journey activity is based on the region’s tier: tier 0 — DC 10, tier 1 — DC 12, tier 2 — DC 14, tier 3 — DC 16, tier 4 — DC 18.
Modifying DC. The Narrator can raise the DC on a journey activity based on extenuating circumstances. Here are some suggestions for modifying a journey activity’s difficulty class:
- Inclement Weather (+2) may impede an adventurer’s ability to search for things with the Scout activity, or lead to fewer people on the road (making the Busk and Rob activities more difficult).
- Multitasking (+3) Such as attempting a journey activity while trying not to be discovered, may make it harder to attempt the check.
- Hostile Territory (+4) may make it difficult to interact with the locals, impeding a check made to Busk or Gossip. It may be dangerous to stop, so taking the Pray activity or using Scout is harder to do. Higher tier regions are not automatically hostile.
Befriend Animal
An adventurer can make friends with a wild animal (a beast with a challenge rating equal to or less than 1/3rd the party’s total level) by succeeding on an Animal Handling check. An attempt at this costs 1 supply.
- Critical Failure. The adventurer scares or angers the animal, which attacks them.
- Failure. The adventurer is unable to befriend the animal.
- Success. The adventurer befriends one animal. The animal follows the party through the region until it spots danger. Adventurers can assume that when the animal runs off that something dangerous is following them or hidden nearby. The adventurer who befriended the creature can then make an additional Perception check contested by the hidden creature’s Stealth check in order to spot the danger.
- Critical Success. As a success, but the animal is willing to take risks and also leads the adventurer to a Boon or Discovery. Only one such boon can be gained per region. Additionally, the adventurer gains advantage on their Perception check to spot a hidden danger.
Advantage Feywood.
Disadvantage Open Road, Restless Sea.
Busk
Adventurers can entertain passersby with a successful Acrobatics, Athletics, Performance, Sleight of Hand, or Charisma (Musical Instrument) check.
- Critical Failure. Passersby steal 3d4 gold from the adventurer.
- Failure. The adventurer earns no money.
- Success. The adventurer gains 1 silver per day of travel for each point they beat the DC by.
- Critical Success. The adventurer gains a boon. Often one passerby gifts them with a random magical item worth as much as a consumable of a level appropriate to the region's tier. worth 50 gold or less. Only one such gift can be earned per region.
Advantage Country Shire, Open Roads, Urban Township.
Disadvantage Blasted Badlands, Fiery Hellscape, Frozen Wastes, Lofty Mountains, Parched Sands, Tangled Forest, Underland Realm, Unrelenting Marsh, Wartorn Kingdom.
Conditional Restless Sea.
Chronicle
An adventurer that write down observations of landmarks, customs, or map can make a Investigation, History, or Intelligence (Cartographer's Tools) check.
- Critical Failure. The adventurer records a falsehood that makes the record for this route lose all credibility. slips, falls, or otherwise bumbles during the journey, destroying their journaling scrolls or the book they were writing in.
- Failure. The adventurer fails to record anything of note or value.
- Success. The adventurer gains an expertise die on future History or Survival checks made within or about the region for each day spent doing this journey activity. Enough such notes can make a rutter, journal, or even map that might be valuable, at the GM's discretion.
- Critical Success. As a success, and the adventurer discovers a Boon or Discovery about the region.
Advantage Blasted Badlands, Country Shire, Haunted Lands.
Cook
By acting as the party’s cook and quartermaster, with a Survival or Wisdom (Cook’s Utensils) check an adventurer can help ensure that everybody remains fed.
- Critical Failure. Poor cooking inflicts either a level of fatigue or a level of strife (50% of each) For every two creatures being fed, the Supply requirement to feed them is increased by 1 Supply.
- Failure. The cooking is adequate, but has no special effects.
- Success. For each day spent doing this journey activity, the Supply requirement to feed 4 creatures eating the meal is reduced by 1 Supply (up to a maximum number of creatures equal to twice the adventurer’s proficiency bonus).
- Critical Success. As a success, and each creature being fed recovers a level of fatigue or strife (player's choice) gains one additional hit die to spend on each day they are fed by the adventurer.
Advantage Flowing River, Frozen Wastes, Restless Sea.
Disadvantage Fiery Hellscape.
Cover Tracks
While moving at a slow pace, An adventurer can cover the party’s tracks with a Survival or Stealth check so that it is harder for pursuers to follow. The adventurer’s Survival check result is the DC for any pursuer’s Survival check to track them. The DC of this check is the terrain DC or the passive Survival of the tracker, whichever is higher.
- Critical Failure. The party leaves an obvious trail, and their pursuers gain a day’s worth of travel covering the distance between them for each day spent doing this journey activity.
- Failure. The party leaves a trail, and their pursuers continue to harass them.
- Success. The party manages to put an extra day between themselves and their pursuers for each day spent doing this journey activity.
- Critical Success. The party lose their pursuers.
Advantage Country Shire, Feywood, Open Roads.
Disadvantage Frozen Wastes.
Entertain
With a successful Insight, Performance, Persuade, Wisdom (Religion), Sleight of Hand, or Charisma (Musical Instrument) check an adventurer can help keep the party’s spirits high. Each party member can only benefit from this journey activity once per week.
- Critical Failure. The adventurer’s performance is so bad that the party gains a level of strife.
- Failure. The party is entertained, but there is no additional effect.
- Success. The next time the adventurer or an ally would suffer a level of strife, they do not. When this journey activity is performed for multiple days, the adventurer or ally gains an expertise die on saving throws made against strife for each day spent carrying out this journey activity.
- Critical Success. The adventurer and any allies each recover one level of fatigue or strife. This benefit can only be gained by each adventurer once per week.
Advantage Fiery Hellscape, Haunted Lands, Restless Sea, Unrelenting Marsh.
Gather Components
Adventurers that gather supplies useful for the material components of spellcasting can make an Arcana, Nature, or Intelligence (Alchemist's Supplies) check. As an option a check of Intelligence (any artisan's tools) can find components for any type of crafting, but the effect on a critical success becomes a boon.
- Critical Failure. The adventurer accidentally picks components about to decay or rot, destroying 1d4 gold worth of their own material components before realizing it.
- Failure. The adventurer finds no components.
- Success. The adventurer finds 1d4 gold worth of components per day, plus 1d8 for each region tier. 1 gold worth of components for each point they beat the DC by.
- Critical Success. As success, plus the adventurer gains a boon, typically twice as much components or a special component that can improve a spell like metamagic with a sorcery point cost equal to the regions tier, which decays in 2 weeks time. The adventurer finds 2d4 gold worth of components per day, plus 1 gold worth of components for each point they beat the DC by.
Advantage Blasted Badlands, Feywood, Fiery Hellscape, Parched Sands, Underland Realm.
Disadvantage Open Roads, Restless Sea, Urban Township.
Gossip
Success on an Investigation or Persuasion check tells an adventurer the local news and rumors.
- Critical Failure. The party learns a false rumor.
- Failure. The party gains no rumor.
- Success. The adventurer gathers local news, background information, dirt on a local character, or whatever the GM deems appropriate. For each day spent doing this journey activity, the Narrator reveals an engaging rumor or tidbit that could lead the party on a new sidequest or support the main plot of the campaign.
- Critical Success. As a success, and local gossip leads the party to a Boon or Discovery.
Advantage Country Shire.
Disadvantage Blasted Badlands, Feywood, Frozen Wastes, Lofty Mountains, Parched Sands.
Conditional Restless Sea.
Harvest
An adventurer that succeeds on a Medicine or Nature check finds plants to refill a healer’s satchel. Alternatively, an adventurer can choose to make a Wisdom (Herbalism kit or Poisoner’s Kit) check.
- Critical Failure. The adventurer accidentally picks plants about to decay or rot, destroying 1 use of their healer’s satchel realizing it.
- Failure. The adventurer finds no medicinal plants.
- Success. The adventurer finds plants worth 1d6 gp plus 1d6 per region tier to refill 1 use of a healer’s satchel for each day spent doing this journey activity.
- Critical Success. As a success, and the adventurer finds plants which duplicate the effects of a potion of healing or other potion appropriate to the tier of the area. This benefit can only be gained once per week.
Advantage Feywood, Parched Sands, Tangled Forest, Underland Realm, Unrelenting Marsh.
Disadvantage Country Shire, Open Roads, Restless Sea, Urban Township.
Hunt and Gather
It’s often fruitful for an adventurer to track and kill game, or forage for food and water, along the road with a Survival or Wisdom (Cook’s Utensils) check. The Fisher and Outlander backgrounds double the amount of Supplies you find.
- Critical Failure. The adventurer gains toxic Supply, and the entire party suffers a level of fatigue.
- Failure. The adventurer gains 1 no Supply.
- Success. The adventurer gains 1d6 + the character's Wisdom modifier Supply per day spent doing this journey activity.
- Critical Success. The adventurer gains double the Supply of a success.
Advantage Feywood, Flowing River.
Disadvantage Blasted Badlands, Country Shire, Fiery Hellscape, Open Roads, Parched Sands.
Pathfinding
If not following a marked route or road or following other creatures using Track, one adventurer in the team must be pathfinding. Roll Nature, Survival, or Intelligence (Navigator’s Tools). A good Map gives advantage. An accurate Rutter or a route traveled before gives advantage until you roll your first critical failure and lose the route.
- Critical Failure. Thoroughly lost. No progress and an additional encounter this day.
- Failure. Lost. Make 1/4 normal progress.
- Success. Hard-Won Success. 1/2 normal progress.
- Critical Success. Full travel speed, and the adventurers may find an old road or other boon.
Advantage Country Shire, Flowing River.
Disadvantage Feywood, Fiery Hellscape, Open Roads, Parched Sands, Restless Sea, Tangled Forest, Underland Realm.
Peddle
An adventurer can carry goods with which to trade to passers-by. This requires an investment of 20 gp and goods weighing 20 lbs. Make a roll using Deception, Investigation or Persuade. Alternatively you can bring a set of artisan's tools you have proficiency with and sell your services.
- Critical Failure. A bad trade results in the loss of 1d6 gold pieces.
- Failure. No gold is gained.
- Success. The adventurer gains 1d6 gold per day of travel, plus 1d6 gold for every 5 points over the difficulty.
- Critical Success. As a success, and the adventurer gains a boon, usually valuable information or an opportunity to buy a random magic item at half price.
Advantage Country Shire, Open Roads, Wartorn Kingdom.
Disadvantage Blasted Badlands, Feywood, Fiery Hellscape, Frozen Wastes, Lofty Mountains, Parched Sands, Tangled Forest, Underland Realm, Unrelenting Marsh.
Conditional Restless Sea.
Pray
While traveling many choose to connect with deities and spirits. An adventurer makes an Insight or Religion check.
- Critical Failure. The gods are displeased. Each party member gains a level of strife. discovers that 1 Supply has spoiled.
- Failure. The gods listen, but do not help.
- Success. The adventurer receives a blessing for each day spent doing this journey activity, gaining an expertise die on the next ability check they make in this region.
- Critical Success. The entire party gains an expertise die on their next ability checks made in this region, and the gods lead the adventurer to a Boon or Discovery.
Advantage Country Shire, Fiery Hellscape, Haunted Lands, Open Roads (local religion), Parched Sands, Restless Sea.
Rob
Adventurers can force others into handing over their coins with Intimidation, sell snake oil using Deceit, pickpocket travelers with Sleight of Hand, or gamble using Charisma (Gaming Set) proficiency.
- Critical Failure. A potential victim turns out to be the law or a rival adventuring party of similar capabilities and a fight ensues.
- Failure. No gold is gained. Disadvantage on further rolls to Rob in this region as rumors spread.
- Success. The adventurer gains 1d8 gold per day of travel. When this journey activity is done in fewer than 7 days, the adventurer instead gains half as much gold (minimum 1 gold).
- Critical Success. As a success, and the adventurer gains a magic item worth as much as a consumable of the region's tier. 100 gold or less. This benefit can only be gained once per region.
Advantage Country Shire, Open Roads, Urban Township.
Disadvantage Blasted Badlands, Feywood, Frozen Wastes.
Conditional Restless Sea.
Scout
An adventurer roams at a distance from the party, making a Survival, Perception or Stealth check seeking vantage points to look ahead. This journey activity may only be performed once per region.
- Critical Failure. The adventurer gets lost and suffers a level of fatigue before returning to the party.
- Failure. The adventurer learns nothing useful.
- Success. Learn the nature of an adjacent region or the nature (but not location) of the next encounter in this region. The party automatically learns one region which adjoins the current region for each day spent doing this journey activity. Additionally, the party gains advantage on Perception checks made against any attempts to surprise or ambush them during the period that the adventurer is scouting.
- Critical Success. As a success, and the adventurer learns about all encounters in this period of travel. finds a handy path. The party gains half a day’s travel for each day spent doing this journey activity.
Advantage Blasted Badlands, Rolling Grasslands, Tangled Forest, Underland Realm.
Disadvantage Flowing River.
Impossible Restless Sea.
Sneak
At Normal or slower speeds one or more adventurers can Sneak. As long as at least one adventurer takes the Sneak action, the entire party can make a group check at the start of an encounter to try and start hidden. Make a group check using Stealth against the passive Perception of the enemy. Those who used the Sneak activity have advantage on this check.
Track
A designated tracker can ensure that the party remains on the trail of their prey with a Survival check. This check is opposed by the Survival check of the creature being tracked if it is attempting to hide its tracks, or the region’s journey activity DC if it is not. For each day you are behind your prey, prey's effective Survival skill increases by 5.
- Critical Failure. The party loses their prey.
- Failure. The party falls back an extra day between themselves and their prey for each day spent doing this journey activity.
- Success. The party continues to follow their prey.
- Critical Success. The tracker outsmarts the quarry and can take a shortcut, and the party gains a day’s worth of travel covering the distance between them and their prey for each day spent doing this journey activity.
Advantage Frozen Wastes.
Disadvantage Country Shire, Feywood, Open Roads.
Impossible Flowing River, Restless Sea, Urban Township.
Trailblaze
When traveling over difficult ground, trailblazing can find a path that avoids most of the difficulty. You can only trailblaze on difficult ground. An Athletics or Acrobatics check can be used to forge a path.
- Critical Failure. The party loses a day of progress. Roll again if the period covered is more than one day.
- Failure. The party suffers the full effect of the difficult ground, moving at half pace.
- Success. The party ignores the difficult ground and proceeds at full speed.
- Critical Success. The party gains a boon, usually a route they can use again and again.
Advantage Frozen Wastes, Underland Realm.
Types of Regions
Blasted Badlands
These deserts are notorious for their many capricious ruins, the devastated landscape the biggest mark left upon the world by the forgotten civilizations that once flourished there. Monsters aplenty roam the wastes as well, so adventurers journeying through it encounter many creatures and constructed terrain exploration challenges.
Weather. 1–3 clear, 4-10 overcast, 11-15 mist 16-23 rain, 24-25 snow.
Poisoned Waters. Twice the usual amount of Supply is required when taking a long rest.
Advantage Chronicle, Gather Components, Scout.
Disadvantage Busk, Gossip, Hunt and Gather, Peddle, Rob.
Country Shire
Small villages and rural communities, often surrounded by a patchwork of farms, make for a safe and cozy existence with the most threatening events involving an angry bear harassing livestock. Adventurers journeying through this region can expect little danger, and a high number of social encounters.
Weather. 1–12 clear, 13–16 overcast, 17–19 rain, 19–21 mist, 22–25 snow.
Lodgings Adventurers can find rustic safe havens at 1d20 sp/person.
Advantage Busk, Chronicle, Cover Tracks, Gossip, Pathfinding, Peddle, Pray (local religion), Rob.
Disadvantage Harvest, Hunt and Gather, Track.
Feywood
Home to faeries, sprites, dryads, nymphs, satyrs, and other fey, the animals in this forest are bold and only foolish travelers fail to respect nature as they go along their way. Adventurers journeying through regions like this contend with frequent combat encounters, social encounters, and natural terrain and supernatural exploration challenges.
Fey Promises. When an adventurer breaks a promise made in a Feywood they suffer a level of strife.
Weather. 1–12 clear, 13-15 rain, 16–22 mist, 23–25 snow.
Advantage Befriend Animal, Cover tracks, Gather Components, Harvest, Hunt and Gather.
Disadvantage Gossip, Rob, Pathfinding, Peddle, Track.
Fiery Hellscape
From active volcanoes to the hottest layers of Hell, these regions are dominated by red-hot lava flows and flaming geysers. Adventurers journeying through these regions can expect to encounter many natural terrain challenges and dangerous creatures.
Hot. Traveling at faster than a slow pace is dangerous in the region’s hot temperatures, and adventurers that do so suffer a level of fatigue when taking a long rest (even if they have Supply). The use of appropriate mounts (such as camels) and keeping a light pack (less than half carrying capacity) allow for adventurers to travel as fast as a normal pace without suffering fatigue during a long rest.
Unquenchable Thirst. Twice the usual amount of Supply is required when taking a long rest.
Weather. 1-13 hot (see above), 14 clear, 15-16 overcast, 17 rain, 18-23 mist, 24-25 snow.
Advantage Entertain, Gather Components, Pray.
Disadvantage Busk, Cook, Gossip, Hunt and Gather, Peddle, Pathfinding.
Flowing River
Rivers can provide a convenient and fast way to travel. Encounters are less frequent, and the journey is less arduous.
Weather. 1-2 dead calm, 3–10 clear, 11–14 overcast, 15–17 rain, 18–21 mist, 22–25 snow.
Vehicles. Adventurers move at the speed of their water vehicles.
Advantage Cook, Hunt and Gather, Pathfinding.
Disadvantage Scout.
Impossible Track.
Frozen Wastes
Endless fields of white and imposing mountains stretching towards the sky fill this icy land, and though it is rather devoid of life it is a place of great peril. Adventurers journeying through this region have to overcome many natural terrain and weather event exploration challenges, and perhaps a few combat or social encounters.
Weather. 1–6 clear, 7–10 overcast, 11-12 mist, 13–25 snow.
Chilly. Without the proper gear or magic to survive the cold temperatures an adventurer suffers a level of fatigue when taking a long rest in this environment (even if it has Supply).
Advantage Cook, Track, Trailblaze.
Disadvantage Busk, Cover Tracks, Gossip, Peddle, Rob.
Haunted Lands
Settlements that have suffered a curse, or areas which are home to powerful undead beings, typically have effects that spread far from the source bringing woe to the people living nearby and attracting prowling monsters and ominous signs. Adventurers journeying through regions like this have plenty of combat encounters, some social encounters, and many circumstance or supernatural exploration challenges.
Weather. 1–5 clear, 6–10 overcast, 11–15, foggy, 16–22 rain, 23-25 snow.
Bleak Light. All light sources illuminate only half the area they would normally cover.
Night Terrors. It is difficult to get a restful night’s sleep in this area. Adventurers make a Wisdom saving throw against the region’s journey activity DC when taking a long rest or suffer a level of strife.
Suspicious Minds. The people who inhabit this area are wary and suspicious of strangers. Adventurers have disadvantage on Charisma checks made against people local to the region.
Advantage Chronicle, Entertain, Pray.
Lofty Mountains
Legends from all over the realm speak of remote passes, cataclysmic conflicts and relics of fell power within the ancient ruins of temples to defeated evils, the graves of terrible warlords, and sites of unspeakable rituals. Adventurers journeying through this region have few social encounters, a moderate amount of combat encounters, and many constructed terrain, natural terrain, and supernatural exploration challenges.
Weather. 1–8 clear, 9–12 overcast, 13–16 mist, 17–18 rain, 19–25 snow.
High Altitude. Breathing air gets harder at altitudes of 10,000 feet or higher above sea level, and adventurers not used to the reduced oxygen tire easily. Every hour spent traveling at high altitude counts as 2 hours of travel for the purposes of travel pace. For example, after 4 hours of travel a creature makes forced march checks every half hour. 1 After spending 30 days or longer at high altitude an adventurer becomes acclimated to it and can travel normally. Altitudes above 20,000 feet can only be acclimated to by creatures native to the environment.
Mountsbane. Travel time is doubled for mounts and pack animals.
Advantage Trailblazing.
Disadvantage Busk, Gossip, Peddle.
Open Roads
Well-traveled roads with wide tracks and plentiful inns, villages, and other stopping points along the way make some journeys less arduous than others. Adventurers journeying along country roads have many social encounters, combat encounters with NPCs or the occasional wild beast, and circumstance and constructed terrain exploration challenges.
Weather. 1–8 clear, 9–12 overcast, 13–16 rain, 17–19 mist, 20–25 snow.
Fast Travel. Adventurers move one mile per hour faster when traveling along open roads.
Inns Adventurers can take safe haven at an inn at a cost of 1d3 gp per adventurer.
Advantage Busk, Cover Tracks, Pathfinding, Peddle, Pray (local religion), Rob.
Disadvantage Befriend Animal, Gather Components, Harvest, Hunt and Gather, Track.
Impossible Trailblazing.
Parched Sands
Endless dunes and the baking sun make these deserts difficult and dangerous places in which to survive. Adventurers journeying through this region have very few social encounters.
Weather. 1–25 hot.
Hot. Traveling at faster than a slow pace is dangerous in the region’s hot temperatures, and adventurers that do so suffer a level of fatigue when taking a long rest (even if they have Supply). The use of appropriate mounts (such as camels) and keeping a light pack (less than half carrying capacity) allow for adventurers to travel as fast as a normal pace without suffering fatigue during a long rest. Traveling at night avoids this hazard, but adventurers without darkvision suffer disadvantage on Perception checks.
Unquenchable Thirst. Twice the usual amount of Supply is required when taking a long rest.
Advantage Gather Components, Harvest, Pray.
Disadvantage Busk, Gossip, Hunt and Gather, Pathfinding, Peddle.
Restless Sea
Rapid currents and quick trade routes make these waters popular with merchants, but only the bravest and most skilled sailors are willing to chance the frequent, dangerous, and unpredictable waves. Adventurers journeying through this region or along its coast have to overcome an unusually high number of weather event exploration challenges, as well as some combat encounters and social encounters.
For travel on near a coast, use Flowing River.
Weather. 1–7 clear, 8–11 overcast, 12-13 dead calm, 14–16 rain, 17–13 mist, 24-25 snow.
Advantage Cook, Entertain, Pray,
Disadvantage Befriend Animal, Gather Components, Harvest, Pathfinding.
Impossible Busk*, Gossip*,Peddle*, Rob*, Scout, Track, Trailblazing.
Busking, gossiping, peddling, and robbery is possible on ship with a dozen NPC passengers and gains advantage on a ship with four dozen NPC passengers.
Rolling Grasslands
These wide open fields are home to cattle, herders, nomads, and birds of prey. The lack of landmarks makes it easy to be lost here. Adventurers journeying through this region have frequent social encounters, few combat encounters, and several circumstance exploration challenges.
Weather. 1–8 clear, 9–12 overcast, 13–16 rain, 17 mist, 18-21 windy, 22–25 snow.
Advantage Scout.
Tangled Forest
From temperate forests and woodlands which harbor bandit encampments to lush tropical jungles home to giant apes and mighty dinosaurs, these regions are covered with trees and undergrowth. Adventurers journeying through regions like this contend with frequent monster encounters and natural terrain and supernatural exploration challenges.
Weather. 1–6 clear, 7–14 mist, 15–20 rain, 21–25 snow.
Advantage Harvest, Scout, Trailblazing.
Disadvantage Busk, Pathfinding, Peddle.
Urban Township
From mighty sprawling cities to smaller bustling towns, these areas are full of people—and more people means more accidents, more conflict, and more action. Adventurers journeying through urban areas have many social encounters, combat encounters against NPCs, and both circumstance and constructed terrain exploration challenges.
Weather. 1–8 clear, 9–12 overcast, 13–16 rain, 17–22 mist or smog, 23–25 snow.
Breakable Surroundings. A critical failure on a Strength or Dexterity check results in destruction of property, angering the owner of said property.
Advantage Busk, Rob.
Disadvantage Gather Components, Harvest, Trailblazing.
Impossible Track.
Underland Realm
There is no map—even among the subterranean cultures that dwell within—that accurately depicts all of these enormous tunnels, which range from natural caverns and dwarven mines to shadow elf cities. Adventurers journeying through this region have combat encounters, some social encounters, and many constructed terrain, natural terrain, and supernatural exploration challenges.
Weather. 1–16 clear, 17–25 mist.
Unstable. When an adventurer creates a force that would disturb a non-stoneworked area (an explosion, loud sound, or shaping the structure of the cave through magic), roll 1d20. On a result of 20 the activity causes a Rockfall event (T&T p. 159). One passageway in the cave is filled with fallen rocks 20 feet wide.
Advantage Gather Components, Harvest, Scout, Trailblaze.
Disadvantage Busk, Pathfinding, Peddle.
Unrelenting Marsh
So named because time seems to slow to a crawl while traversing its swamps, this area is rife with dangerous predators, lethal fauna, and ground best left untrusted. Adventurers journeying through this region have frequent combat encounters, a few social encounters, and many natural terrain exploration challenges.
Weather. 1–5 clear, 6–8 overcast, 9–15 rain, 16–22 mist, 23-25 snow.
Hard to Hoof. Mounts and pack animals are unable to travel at a fast pace or gallop pace. Additionally, wheeled vehicles cannot travel faster than a crawl.
Advantage Entertain, Harvest, Hunt & Gather.
Disadvantage Busk, Peddle, Rob.
Wartorn Kingdom
An occupied nation, or one amidst a civil war, is a dubious place populated with aggressive soldiers, desperate commoners, and merciless opportunists. Adventurers journeying through this region have many social encounters, combat encounters against NPCs, and both circumstance and natural terrain exploration challenges as they navigate the country in conflict.
Weather. 1–6 clear, 7–10 overcast, 11–16 rain, 17–21 mist or smoke, 22–25 snow.
Advantage Peddle.
Social Encounters
Subtext. A social encounter can be as it appears or there can be a hidden agenda going on. A tier 0 social encounter always is as it appears. For other tiers, roll 1d20 per tier and read only the highest value. 1-15 as it appears, 16 Play for pity, 17 business offer, 18 Scam, 19 Robbers investigating marks, 20 Enemies of the adventurers gathering information. On 18-20 roll next encounter at one tier higher unless the adventurers see through the situation.
Involvement This check can be used to see if the adventurers have any natural involvement in the situation. 1-10 No involvement, 11-15 Adventurer's recent travel events, 16-17 Adventurers future travel events, 18-19 Lore, 20 Adventurer directly involved.
Metric Travel Times
Pace | Rate of Travel | Time per hex | Effect | |||
Minute | Hour | Day | 5 km | 20 km | ||
Crawl | 16 meters | 400 meters | 6 km | 1 day | 3 days | Advantage on Survival checks. to hide tracks. |
Slow/Wagon | 65 meters | 3 km | 25 km | 4 hours | 6 hours | — |
Normal/Cart | 100 meters | 5 km | 40 km | 2 hours | 4 hours | Unable to use Stealth |
Fast/Mounted | 130 meters | 6.5 km | 50 km | 45 minutes | 3 hours | –5 penalty to passive Perception and disadvantage on Perception and all ability checks. Only sustainable for an hour unless speed 40 ft. (14 meters/round). |
Gallop | 250 meters | 13 km | 100 km | 22 minutes | 90 minutes | Only sustainable for an hour unless speed 80 ft. (25 meters/round). Impossible if speed less than 40 ft. (13 meters/round). Disadvantage on all ability checks. Survival checks to track. |