Exploration (5A)

This is excerpts and expansion upon Level Up—Trials and Treasures, the exploration chapter.

Exploration Actions

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.

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 a Perception check contested by the hidden creature’s Stealth check in order to spot the danger.

Critical Success. As a success, but the animal also leads the adventurer to a Boon or Discovery. Additionally, the adventurer gains advantage on their Perception check to spot a hidden danger. Only one such boon can be gained per region.

Busk

Adventurers can entertain passersby with a successful Acrobatics, Athletics, or Performance check. Note: To perform this journey activity, the party must be in a populated area such as a Country Shire, Open Roads, or an Urban Township.

Critical Failure. Passersby steal 3d4 gold from the adventurer.

Failure. The adventurer earns no money.

Success. The adventurer gains 1 gold per day of travel plus 1 gold for each point they beat the DC by.

Critical Success. The adventurer gains 2 gold per day of travel plus 1 gold for each point they beat the DC by, and one passerby gifts them with a random magical item worth 50 gold or less. Only one such gift can be earned per region.

Chronicle

An adventurer that write down observations of landmarks, customs, or map can make a History check.

Critical Failure. The adventurer 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.

Critical Success. As a success, and the adventurer discovers a Boon or Discovery about the region. Only one such boon can be gained per region.

Cook

By acting as the party’s cook and quartermaster, with a cook’s utensils or Survival check an adventurer can help ensure that everybody remains fed.

Critical Failure. 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 gains one additional hit die to spend on each day they are fed by the adventurer.

Cover Tracks

While moving at a slow pace, an adventurer can cover the party’s tracks with a Survival 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.

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.

Entertain

With a successful Performance 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 not entertained.

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.

Gather Components

Adventurers that gather supplies useful for the material components of spellcasting can make an Arcana or Nature check.

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 1 gold worth of components for each point they beat the DC by.

Critical Success. The adventurer finds 2d4 gold worth of components per day, plus 1 gold worth of components for each point they beat the DC by.

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. 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.

Harvest

An adventurer that succeeds on a Medicine or Nature check finds plants to refill a healer’s satchel.

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 plants.

Success. The adventurer finds plants 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. This benefit can only be gained once per week. Alternatively, an adventurer can choose to make an herbalism kit check or poisoner’s kit check (see Chapter 4: Equipment in the Adventurer’s Guide).

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 check.

Critical Failure. The adventurer gains toxic Supply, and the entire party suffers a level of fatigue.

Failure. The adventurer gains no Supply.

Success. The adventurer gains 1 Supply per day spent doing this journey activity.

Critical Success. The adventurer gains double the Supply.

Pray

While traveling many choose to connect with deities and spirits. An adventurer makes a Religion check.

Critical Failure. The gods are displeased. Each party member discovers that 1 Supply has spoiled.

Failure. The gods do not listen.

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.

Rob

Adventurers can force others into handing over their coins with a successful Intimidation check, or pickpocket travelers with a successful Sleight of Hand check. To perform this journey activity, the party must be in a populated area such as a Country Shire, Open Roads, or Urban Township. This journey activity usually takes a week to complete.

Critical Failure. A potential victim turns out to be a rival adventuring party of similar capabilities and a fight ensues.

Failure. No gold is gained.

Success. The adventurer gains 1d8 silver per week 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 100 gold or less. This benefit can only be gained once per region.

Scout

An adventurer roams at a distance from the party, making a Perception 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. 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 finds a handy path. The party gains half a day’s travel for each day spent doing this journey activity.

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.

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 adventurer finds an obvious trail, 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.