# Location Travel ## Travel Points Travel Points represent a location's breadth and scope. Crossing a location requires passing Guide checks until the location's Travel Points have been reduced to zero. ___ Using the Kingdom hex size of 6 miles by default (DMG 242), determine how many hexes the location occupies. Multiply this number by d6 and add the same number to the roll's result to determine the location's Travel Points. ___ **Travel Points = (# of hexes)d6 + (# of hexes)** >For example, if the Clear Whirl North occupies 7 hexes then you would roll 7d6+7, with an average result of 28 Travel Points. ___ This number represents the location's area. Roll for a location's Travel Points each time a party intends to travel through the location. This variability represents the uncertain nature of overland travel. ### Determining a Journey's Length With the location's Travel Points calculated, modify them depending on where the party starts from and to where, within the location, they are traveling. For example, if they seek to visit a cave halfway into the location, then halve the location's Travel Points for that journey. #### Mapped Locations If the party is in possession of a good map of a location, Guide checks have advantage and the location's Travel Points are equal to its average Travel Points (no roll). #### Good Directions If the party has received good directions to a location but is not in possession of a map, the location's Travel Points are equal to its average Travel Points (no roll). ## Making Progress When a party sets out to travel, gather the appropriate location statblock and secretly roll the location's Travel Points. Then roll on the location's Weather Conditions table. ___ Note the Navigation DC (as modified by the Weather and the notable site, if any) and request the party's guide make a Guide check using Wisdom (Survival) or Intelligence (Nature). Proficiency and access to navigator's tools, or a map of the location, provides advantage on this check. ### Success On a success, the party progresses toward their destination as quickly as their travel method's Progress die allows: \columnbreak #### Progress | Mode | Progress Die | Successful Progress | |:--------:|:----:|:----:| |Traveling with care|d4|4| |Walking|d6|6| |Riding|d8|8| |Sailing|d10|10| |Flying|d12|12| ___ If the guide rolls a natural 20, they make successful progress plus 1d4 extra progress. ___ Subtract the total from the location's Travel Points. Once a location's Travel Points have dropped to zero, the party reaches their destination. ___ If multiple members of a party are using different means of travel, use the die corresponding to the slowest method. ### Traveling with Care In particularly dangerous and inhospitable places it can pay to travel with care. By trading speed for wariness the party gains advantage on Scout and Explore checks. ### Failure If the guide fails the Guide roll, the party makes progress equal to a Progress die one size smaller than their travel mode. For example, if the party is walking (d6) and fails their Guide check, they roll 1d4 and make that much progress. ### Getting Lost If the guide rolls a natural 1 on the Guide check the party becomes lost and loses progress equal to the Progress die roll for their mode of travel as they go in the wrong direction. ## Exposure The natural world can be an unforgiving place. Every day of travel a character must make an Exposure check, which is a Constitution saving throw, to determine if they successfully withstand the elements, whether those are extreme heat, extreme cold, tempestuous weather, or simply long hours on the trail. A failed Exposure check causes the character to suffer one level of exhaustion (PHB 291). ___ A long rest removes one level of exhaustion provided the character ingests food and water and is no longer affected by the condition causing the exhaustion (e.g., the character isn't taking a long rest on a frozen mountain while freezing). ### Slowed by Exhaustion When a character reaches the second level of exhaustion their speed is halved. If the party is traveling on foot, any progress made during the day is halved when at least one character has two levels of exhaustion. \pagebreak ## Roles Some characters will wish to study tomes, magic items, or gather herbs and components while they travel, but others may wish to contribute to the journey. These roles are described below. Note that Rangers with Natural Explorer and characters with the Outlander background are particularly suited to certain roles. ### Guide The guide takes the reins of leading a party through the location, pitting their academic Intelligence (Nature) or practical Wisdom (Survival) knowledge against the location's Navigation (NAV) attribute modified by the weather and destination. This check determines how much progress they make each day. Only one character may fill the role of guide. If no character acts as the guide the party makes no progress. Sometimes this makes sense, for example when the party is beset by exhaustion and all hands are required to find a restful campsite. ### Hunter/Forager A medium-sized creature requires 1 ration each day. In some locations finding food or water will be a trivial task and should not be a required action. However, more hostile locales like deserts, mountain ranges, and war-torn regions force a party to hunt and forage for food and water. ___ Party members dedicated to hunting and foraging during a travel day make Wisdom (Survival) checks against the location's Hostility (HOS) attribute. On a failure the character finds nothing and the party must eat from their store of rations (mounts consume one additional day's rations). On a success, they find enough rations to feed the party and any mounts that day. On a roll of 20, they find 1d4 days' worth of rations. A character with the Wanderer feature has advantage on this check. ___ A mount can be butchered in the wild for 1d4 rations. With proper equipment, a butchered mount yields 2d6 rations. See PHB 185 for rules on the consequences of going without food and water. ### Scout Scouting helps protect the party from undesirable events, keeping them safer in the wildernesses of the world. Each scouting party member makes a Dexterity (Stealth) or Wisdom (Perception) check against the location's Hostility (HOS) attribute. On a success, the scout(s) prevent a roll on the location's Random Events table. On a failure, roll on the Random Events table. ### Explorer Finding an appropriate camp site each day can mean the difference between restful sleep and dying of exposure. A character may make an Explore check using either Wisdom (Survival) or Intelligence (Investigation) against the location's Mystery (MYS) attribute. ___ On a success, the character finds an ideal campsite that provides respite from the elements and allows party members to recover from exhaustion. On a failure, the character fails to find a camp suitable to removing exhaustion. ### Cartographer A character may attempt to map the location through which they are traveling. A cartographer makes a Mapping check, using the Intelligence ability, against the location's Mystery (MYS) attribute. If the character has cartographer's tools and proficiency with them add the character's proficiency bonus to the roll. A character with the Wanderer feature has advantage on this roll. On a failure the character fails to accurately capture the lay of the land whether because of weather, distractions, or simple error. On a success, the character has made progress in mapping the location. ___ The character has a complete map of the location when they have achieved successes equal to the hex-size of the region. It is not expected that a character must explore every nook and cranny within a location. Instead, while traveling through a location it's assumed the character is able to produce an intelligent facsimile of the landscape using natural landmarks, geographic contours, and their own instinct. ## Travel Checks | Check | Related Skills/Abilities | DC | |:-------:|:------------------:|:----:| |Guide|Wisdom (Survival) or Intelligence (Nature) | NAV | |Scout|Dexterity (Stealth) or Wisdom (Perception) | HOS | |Explore|Wisdom (Survival) or Intelligence (Investigation) | MYS | |Hunt/Forage|Wisdom (Survival) | HOS | |Mapping|Intelligence | MYS | |Exposure|Constitution saving throw | EXR| ## Daily Travel Each day of travel, do the following in order: 1. (If the party is journeying to a new destination, calculate the Travel Points) 2. Roll on the location's Weather Conditions table and note effects. 3. Determine party's roles and actions during the day. 4. All characters make Exposure checks. 5. All characters perform their actions, including Guide, Scout, Hunt/Forage, Explore, and Mapping checks. 6. Roll on the location's Random Events table, if necessary, and resolve the event. 7. After 8 hours of travel make camp or follow rules for forced marches (PHB 181). \pagebreak ## Locations #### Plane The plane on which the area lies. If no plane is defined, assume Material plane. Planes are described in the Dungeon Master's Guide on page 43. #### Size Just as creatures are defined, locations can be tiny, small, medium, large, huge, gargantuan, or colossal. #### Biome The ecology of the area, biomes are a broad description of the climate, plants, animals, and terrain of a location. ___ Example biomes: | Biome | Description | |:---:|:-----------:| | Arctic | Cold, snowy areas with lack of trees due to low temperatures | Coastal | Areas where land meets the sea, commonly rocky and sandy| | Desert | Sand-covered areas of low precipitation and extreme temperatures | | Forest | Wooded areas with a large diversity of plants and animals | | Grassland | Grassy open fields with very few or no trees | | Mountain | Rocky terrain at high altitudes | | Savanna | Plains with scattered trees, more than grasslands but less than forests | | Tropical | Very humid with high precipitation, often very hot | | Wetland | Land saturated with water and plant growth | #### Type Additional fluff description of the location. For example, river valley, broken hills, frozen plains, etc. ## Location Attributes ### Navigation (NAV) Navigation is the difficulty in traveling through a location, or in locating or traveling to destinations within the area. A location's Navigation is modified by specific notable sites within its area and often by weather conditions. Successful Guide checks allow the party to progress to their destination (See Making Progress above). A Guide check uses Wisdom (Survival) or Intelligence (Nature). ### Mystery (MYS) Mystery is a representation of the amount of knowledge that is available about an area. If an area is more commonly studied or traveled through, the Mystery score will be lower, while a higher Mystery score shows a lack of information able to be recalled or accessed. ___ Mystery is used for any Intelligence checks to identify or recall knowledge about its denizens, locations, and cultures, when mapping a location as a cartographer, and for Explore checks to find ideal campsites. ### Exposure (EXR) Exposure represents the harshness of the climate and is the base DC for Constitution saving throws for resisting the effects of weather and climate (DMG 109). A high Exposure means there are more extreme temperatures, winds, and/or precipitation while a low Exposure means the location's climate is relatively gentle and comfortable. See the Weather Conditions table for conditions that can modify the Exposure DC. ### Hostility (HOS) Hostility is a general description of the inhabitants and the ease of survival. A high Hostility often indicates an area of conflict between at least two groups and/or a location where it's difficult to successfully forage for food and water. Very hostile area's denizens might attack groups on sight. Low Hostility means factions in the locations are generally friendly and will act at least neutrally towards outsiders. Hostility is used as a DC for social-related Charisma checks and Scout and Hunt/Forage checks. ### Common Creatures Common creatures lists common inhabitants of the area that are useful when creating random encounters. Creatures are listed in groups such as bandits, wolves, zombies, or kobolds, but important or very powerful creatures such as dragons or key NPCs should also be listed. ### Terrain Terrain provides a list of common terrain features present in the location. ## Notable Sites Notable sites represent specific sites within a location that a party may wish to visit, such as dungeons, settlements, ruins, monuments, buildings, and caves. Each site provides a description and a modifier to Navigation, but it might also modify other location attributes. ___ A party may attempt to travel to a notable site if they know it exists. If they don't know what sites can be found in the location, any character may attempt a suitable Intelligence check (usually History, Arcana, or Religion). A roll that exceeds the notable site's modified Mystery DC is revealed to the character. Each character may only make this check once. \pagebreak >**For example**, assume a party has just entered the Clear Whirl North. A character wants to comb his memory and see what he has heard about this part of the world. He makes an Intelligence (History) check rolling against the location's Mystery plus the modifiers of each notable site. He rolls an 11, +2 from his History skill for a total of 13. Looking at the Clear Whirl North's notable site, this is enough to trigger memories about Camp Blackridge and The Rime Queen's Statue but not The Smoke Throat. Both of these sites now become destinations the party may attempt to reach. ### Randomly Finding Notable Sites It's possible to stumble upon notable sites when traveling through a region. Each location's Random Events table contains a result for finding a notable site that only applies if the party is near such a site. Alternatively, if a character is near a notable site and makes a point of scouring the countryside or being perceptive, allow a Wisdom (Perception) check using the notable site's modified Mystery DC as that character's daily action. A success means they've found the site. ## Random Events Each location has a list of random events that might be triggered during each day of travel within the location. When the party's scouts fail their Scout rolls, roll on the location's Random Events table. These events are generally detrimental. ## Weather Conditions Each location possesses a weather conditions table appropriate to the climate and terrain. Each type of weather may adjust the Navigation and Exposure DCs for that day of travel. See below for example weather conditions and their effects. \columnbreak ### Arctic Weather Conditions | Condition | Effect| |:-----------:|:----:| | Unseasonably Good | -1 NAV, -1 EXR | | Still and Clear | No effect | | Fog | +2 NAV, Scout checks have disadvantage | | Freezing Fog | +2 NAV, +1 EXR, Scout checks have disadvantage | | Heavy Fog | +2 NAV, Guide and Scout checks have disadvantage | | Light Winds | +1 EXR | | Strong Winds | +2 EXR, ranged weapon attacks have disadvantage | | Light Snowfall | +1 NAV, Hunt/Forage checks have advantage | | Heavy Snowfall | +3 NAV, +2 EXR, Hunt/Forage checks have disadvantage | | Extreme Cold |  +4 EXR, Exposure checks have disadvantage | | Sleet | +1 NAV, +3 EXR | | Hailstorm | +2 NAV, +1 EXR, each character suffers 1d6 bludgeoning damage | | Blizzard | +5 NAV, +5 EXR, all checks have disadvantage | ## Hazards Hazards lists common hazards in the location that might affect the party. Hazards can be triggered at will or on the location's Random Events table. Choose or randomly determine which character(s) are affected. ### Sample Hazards #### Peat Bogs In the gullies and narrow gulches between hills are swaths of invisible, treacherous peat bog eager to swallow a man whole. Make a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw to avoid the hidden pool. On a failure, the character plunges through the ground into freezing quickmud, suffering 1d4 cold damage each round. A successful Strength (Athletics) check frees the character, and the DC starts at 10. Any actions other than careful movement increases the DC by 5, and each failed check sends the character deeper into the mud where they might suffocate (DM fiat). \pagebreak #### Thin Ice The Clear Whirl river widens as it flows north toward the Endless Ice Sea, and sections of the river are heated lightly by subterranean geothermal cavities. Any attempt to cross the river requires a successful DC 10 Dexterity saving throw or the character plunges through the ice, suffering 1d4 cold damage each round and begins suffocating (PHB 183). Escaping requires a successful Wisdom (Perception) check to find the opening or helping allies and a successful DC 15 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. #### Icy Cliffs Any attempt to scale or descend the cliffs above the Clear Whirl requires a DC 15 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check per round of movement. This check is made with disadvantage without the proper equipment (crampons, pitons, ropes, etc.). Failing this check results in fall damage equivalent to the distance fallen. #### Shard Ravines Shard ravines are treacherous gulchs hidden beneath rotten snow and lined with razor-sharp ice shards like so many upthrust spear points. Shard ravines come in all depths, from waist-deep to scores of feet leading into dark caverns. When this hazard is triggered, every character makes a DC 10 Wisdom Perception check to spot the danger. Anyone failing the check suffers 1d6 piercing damage. #### Elemental Clouds Clouds of elemental cold drift in great swaths of blueish mist. When this hazard is triggered, every character makes a DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check to spot the disturbance. Anyone failing the check makes a DC 10 Constitution saving throw as they wander into its icy grip taking 1d10 cold damage on a failed save and half as much on a successful one.