Travel in Kemet is not measured purely by distance traveled. It incorporates energy expended, strategy utilized, and the compromises made when choosing what method to use. Keen eyed adventurers may notice that the overall size of the world is rather small, not much larger than the Earth’s Moon. This design choice keeps neighboring borders feeling tightly contested and travel times manageable while still feeling like an epic journey if managed correctly. A world such as this is not meant to have its travel hand waved. The global map is structured on a unified grid with one large hex (25 miles) always equalling a single day’s travel, regardless of your mode of transportation. This is offset by every mode of travel having its own benefits and drawbacks being factored into the scale.
When a party sets out to any destination that has at least one hex in between the starting and ending hexes, they enter the Travel Phase. This phase replaces normal travel with a structured, five step loop:
Phase
Phase Mechanics & Rules
Preparation
Before setting out, the party determines how many Supply Units they wish to take with them.
Pace
As they are about to enter a new hex, the party declares the pace at which they wish to move for the day.
Method
The party determines their transportation method for the day.
Resolution
Based on the hex terrain, the DM resolves that day’s travel by cross-referencing the player’s chosen pace with the local Biome Matrix.
Campfire
At the end of each day’s march, the players make camp and can spend their evening downtime performing critical Campfire Actions.
Toll of the Wild
If any character reaches 5 levels of Exhaustion, the party must abandon travel momentum to perform a Forced Respite, requiring a full day of rest to recover.
Step 1: Preparation
Prior to leaving, the players will need to take stock of their current supplies and, if needed, purchase whatever items they think they will need for their journey. Travel consumes 1 Supply Unit per character per hex. By default, a unit is one ration and one waterskin, though DMs may adjust the composition and cost of these units to match the tone of their setting. Supply Units can also be found, foraged (see Campfire step) or magically created. When calculating supply costs, multipliers are added together based on your original baseline cost rather than multiplying your current running total.
Example: If the base cost of 4 Supply Units is doubled twice by travel conditions, you add the baseline cost twice (+4 and +4) for a total of 12, instead of compounding it exponentially (4 × 2 × 2) into 16.
Step 2: Pace
The pace determines the party’s advantages and vulnerabilities while moving. As they enter a new hex they will need to declare their pace for that day from one of three options: Scout’s Pace, Forced March and Mapping Pace, so long as they were not forced to follow The Toll of the Wild the prior day.
Pace
Traveling Narrative & Mechanics
Scout’s Pace
A measured, steady advance. You keep your eyes on the horizon and your ears to the wind, balancing speed with caution. The party cannot be surprised by Biome Matrix combat encounters.
Forced March
You push your bodies beyond their limits, sprinting across the terrain with reckless abandon. You cover ground fast, reducing the number of Supply Units consumed by half, rounded up, for that day, but you are also too exhausted to perform Campfire Actions at the end of the day. After a Forced March, your next day of travel must be at a Scout’s Pace or Mapping Pace to allow the party to set up camp and recover.
Mapping Pace
The journey is a study of the landscape. You move with agonizing deliberation, stopping to inspect flora, chart landmarks, and secure the best routes. This exhaustive effort doubles your Supply Unit consumption for the day, but you gain Advantage on all Campfire Action checks and the DM rolls the Biome Matrix for the next hex on your route. You will learn the result before declaring your pace for the following day.
Step 3: Method
The party chooses a compatible travel method based on the biome of the hex. While a day’s travel is the same distance no matter what method of travel is used, each method has its own pros and cons which can affect how the players navigate the landscape. Transport assets like Carts, Ships, or Mounts can be left secured in a hex in order to alter the travel method, however leaving them unattended can bring risks of theft or damage. If the party leaves that asset, it remains where they left it, until retrieved.
Method
Travel Logistics & Rules
By Foot
This is the most adaptable method, usable in all biomes except Riverway, Ocean, and Skyway. Because you travel light, enemies tracking the party suffer Disadvantage on all Wisdom (Survival) checks, though this method offers no protection against extreme weather and is the most limited by individual carry capacity.
Mounted
Riding trained beasts is viable in any land-based terrain but impossible over water or in the air. While the speed of a mount grants Advantage on your first melee attack if you charge at least 20 feet, the constant clip-clop of hooves makes stealth nearly impossible; foes will almost always spot you early, gaining Half-Cover for the first round of combat.
Cart/Carriage
These are rugged haulers restricted to Road, Plains, Desert, and Tundra biomes, capable of shielding 50 Supply Units from the elements. The stability of a carriage allows one character per day to perform the Tend the WearyCampfire Action while traveling, provided you are not pushing the team at a Forced March pace, which makes the ride too jarring for delicate medical work.
River Boat
Navigating the currents is strictly a Riverway affair, where the calm rocking of the hull allows a Long Rest to clear 2 levels of Exhaustion. These boats require constant attention; the group must pass a DC 12 Strength check daily to avoid sandbars or snags. Failure to hold the line stalls the vessel, forcing you to burn double the daily Supply Units or lose your ability to declare a Forced March or Mapping Pace tomorrow.
Ocean Ship
Traversing the unforgiving Ocean requires a vessel built for the deep. While you drift, a crew member can cast lines to recover 1d4 Supply Units with a DC 10 Wisdom (Survival) check, but the salt spray is a constant threat. Every day, the navigator must pass a DC 12 Wisdom (Navigator’s Tools) check; failing this lets moisture ruin your stores, spoiling 2 Supply Units and increasing consumption by 1 for the next travel day.
Air Ship
These marvels are limited exclusively to Skyway biomes, soaring above all terrestrial obstacles. However, spending a day in the thinning air takes a toll; everyone must pass a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or suffer a -2 penalty to all Campfire checks that night due to altitude sickness. Furthermore, if the pilot fails a DC 12 Intelligence (Air Vehicles) check, the ship’s engine strain forces you to abandon any Forced March plans for the following day.
Step 4: Resolution
The DM determines the active biome by identifying the terrain covering the majority of the hex. If a road is present, the Road biome may be used. When a hex features mixed terrain, the majority coverage determines the active biome. While the matrix provides a mechanical result, DMs are encouraged to customize these outcomes to provide narrative variety and may choose to conceal mechanical outcomes (such as a Disadvantage on evening Campfire Actions) until they are actively triggered by the players. Roll a 1d6 to determine that day’s encounter and result. Difficulty Classes in the matrix are set to 10 + Average Party Level (APL) / 2, rounded down (to a maximum of 18.) If an outcome renders the party stationary, the DM may run a unique encounter to fill the travel phase.
Example: If a hex shows mostly open fields with a small cluster of hills in the corner, it is resolved as a Plains Hex. If the hills fill more than half the hex, it is a Mountain Hex.
d6
Forced March Pace
Scout’s Pace
Mapping Pace
1
Sprinting past warning markers drops you into a crumbling collapse. The jolt splits your bags, forcing you to lose 1d4 Supply Units immediately.
Gritty road sludge fouls your party’s equipment. Constant maintenance drains your water reserves, forcing you to consume +1 Supply Unit on your next travel day.
A sudden downpour turns your exploration charts into soggy pulp. The depressing delay imposes Disadvantage on all Forage checks tonight.
2
A courier team barrels around a blind bend and drives your party into a ditch. The painful scramble bruises legs, preventing you from declaring a Forced March tomorrow.
Heavy military traffic kicks up blinding dust along the trade route. The terrible visibility ruins surveying sightlines, preventing you from declaring a Mapping Pace tomorrow.
A massive charred merchant wagon blocks the stone lane completely. You lose so much time clearing the wreckage that you are forced to declare a Forced March tomorrow.
3
A roadside tax collector harasses your group for transit fees. The hostile delay ruins your rest routine, forcing all Campfire Actions tonight to be at Disadvantage.
You fail to notice a missing road segment and plummet into an old sinkhole. Hauling your wagon out takes hours, meaning only 1 character in the party may take a Campfire Action tonight.
Rotten timber splinters off an old bridge and cuts deeply into your hands. The dirty wounds require extensive cleaning, increasing the Tend the Weary check DC by +3 tonight.
4
The level paving of the road allows you to find an effortless cadence. The extra daylight provides perfect hunting, ensuring your Forage Action tonight succeeds automatically with max yield.
While blazing a clear path down the road you spot an intact supply container abandoned in a ditch. Prying it open reveals untouched provisions, granting you 1d6 Supply Units immediately.
You encounter a broken spice trader standing by his thrown freight. You stop to help fix his axles and he gratefully hands over a massive crate of dry goods, granting you 2d6 Supply Units immediately.
5
Pressing through the strain at a breakneck speed gets you to an old tollhouse before scavengers arrive. Searching the floorboards reveals a locked box, yielding a valuable antiquity worth 150 gp.
A wandering tinker abandons his cart after breaking a wheel. You pull an exquisite brass astrolabe from the wreckage, yielding an antiquity worth 250 gp but hauling it forces you to consume +1 extra Supply Unit daily until it is sold.
Your careful examination of a roadside thicket reveals a wild orchard blooming with sweet fruit. The crisp sugar rush revitalizes the group, instantly clearing 1 level of Exhaustion from all characters.
6
The smell of roasting meat leads you to a bustling and secure caravansary. The soft mattresses provide perfect rest, allowing you to instantly clear 2 levels of Exhaustion per character tonight with no check needed.
A regional cartographer shares an atlas packed with details about local bandit tactics. The clear instructions sharpen your battlefield awareness, granting all characters +2 Initiative until the end of tomorrow.
Stopping at a local blacksmith shrine blesses your journey. You find a barrel of high grade armor oil that fortifies your plates, granting all characters +1 AC until the end of tomorrow.
d6
Forced March Pace
Scout’s Pace
Mapping Pace
1
Driving onward through surging currents pushes your vessel into a hidden shoal. The critical hull impact forces you to choose: 1 character gains 1 level of Exhaustion OR the group loses 3 Supply Units.
Navigating a river bend at high speed sends you violently smashing into an underwater timber snag. The frantic physical effort to avoid sinking wears down bodies, causing all characters to gain 1 level of Exhaustion.
Battling a dense wall of fog rolling across the water blinds your helmsman. You strike a reef so hard that two crew members are thrown across the deck, causing one character to gain 2 Exhaustion while another takes 1 Exhaustion.
2
Hitting a sudden vortex tosses your fast moving vessel into a dizzying spin. The jarring rotation rattles your equilibrium, forcing all characters to suffer a -2 penalty to Initiative until the end of tomorrow.
Sailing directly into a deluge of acidic runoff from an upstream spill splashes caustic liquid across your decks. The chemical burn eats through leather strapping, forcing all characters to suffer -1 AC until the end of tomorrow.
Encountering a collapsed timber block obstructs the narrow channel completely. As you slow down to extract the logs a swarm of vicious river harpies descends from the canopy, triggering an immediate combat encounter.
3
Approaching an iron bridge gate forces a painstaking cargo inspection by corrupt guards. They confiscate your alarm traps, causing Secure Perimeter to fail automatically so that any overnight combat initiates as a Surprise Round.
Confronting a territorial river baron demands a steep transit tax you refuse to pay. His tight blockade forces you to turn your vessel around into unknown tributaries, forcing the DM to move the party to an adjacent unplanned hex.
Unrelenting black flies swarm the damp decks and bite relentlessly. The miserable itching shatters your focus and morale, causing the party to lose all Inspiration.
4
Locking into a smooth downstream current surge carries your vessel effortlessly. The open water sightlines are so incredibly clear that you cannot be Surprised by any encounters until the end of tomorrow.
Encountering a group of stranded local archers in the willows allows you to offer them safe passage. They take up defensive watch so you can rest, granting all characters immunity to new Exhaustion from travel hazards until the end of tomorrow.
Mooring next to a secure stone tower offers a wonderfully safe berth. You find an ancient mural carved into the foundation, allowing you to forfeit a Campfire Action tonight to study the area for 1 Inspiration point.
5
Blazing down the channel allows you to clear a highly contested river delta before local checkpoints drop their toll chains. The thrill of outsmarting the blockade motivates everyone, granting all characters 1 Inspiration point.
Hailing a floating temple barge allows you to pause and offer respect to the river spirits. The grateful clergy help clean and organize your decks, allowing one character of choice to take two Campfire Actions tonight.
Charting a deep shore eddy leads you to a patch of rare medicinal water lilies. Crushing these petals into a potent paste upgrades your medical supplies, allowing you to automatically succeed your next Tend the Weary check.
6
Churning forward at high speed lets you merge perfectly into a massive merchant flotilla. The sheer number of armed vessels provides total protection, allowing you to skip the Biome Matrix roll for the next hex for a peaceful travel day.
Pulling up to a beautiful riverfront inn provides hot baths and local gossip. You learn exactly where the hidden shoals are located, meaning tomorrow your Mapping Pace benefits come at the supply cost of a Scout’s Pace.
Charting a hidden river bend reveals a partially flooded naval station. Salvaging a waterproof lockbox inside unearths precision hydrographic journals of the local waterways, allowing you to ignore your next Forced Detour result.
d6
Forced March Pace
Scout’s Pace
Mapping Pace
1
Sprinting recklessly through unmapped underbrush drops you into a hidden hollow. The bruising impact leaves your limbs stiff and swollen, preventing you from declaring a Forced March tomorrow.
Trekking off the main trail exposes you to razor thorns choking the route. The sharp briars severely scratch your delicate optical lenses, preventing you from declaring a Mapping Pace tomorrow.
Tripping over a web of slick shifting roots hidden in the muck catches the lead scout. The massive delay forces you to drastically adjust your timeline, forcing you to declare a Forced March tomorrow.
2
Charging blindly through dense woodland gets you completely lost in a dead end ravine. The depressing reality of your navigation failure ruins the evening, forcing all Campfire Actions tonight to be at Disadvantage.
Encountering a massive fallen timber blocks the primary track entirely. Hacking through the dense branches exhausts the group so much that setting up tents takes hours, meaning only 1 character in the party may take a Campfire Action tonight.
Surveying the wood lines exposes you to a cloud of toxic airborne sap. The sticky residue burns the lungs and compromises bandages, increasing the Tend the Weary check DC by +3 tonight.
3
Storming straight through a damp grove of puffballs explodes caustic spores across your gear. The rapid fungal rot destroys your leather food sacks, forcing you to lose 1d4 Supply Units immediately.
Watching the canopy reveals a cold fog rolling through the ancient trunks. The damp chill penetrates your clothing and forces you to burn extra fuel to stay warm, forcing you to consume +1 Supply Unit on your next travel day.
Tracking low growls echoing from the shadows keeps you constantly looking over your shoulder. The paranoia makes it impossible to focus on gathering edible plants, imposing Disadvantage on all Forage checks tonight.
4
Pressing forward brings your line out of the heavy brush onto a clear game trail. Kicking through the dirt unearths a beautiful silver tracking horn, yielding a valuable antiquity worth 150 gp.
Pacing through a valley brings you to a dead woodsman’s abandoned lean to. You pry a gorgeous emerald idol from his skeletal grip, yielding an antiquity worth 250 gp but hauling it forces you to consume +1 extra Supply Unit daily until it is sold.
Discovering an ancient watchtower rising above the treeline allows you to chart the horizon. Finding the safe path lifts the burden of the unknown from your shoulders, instantly clearing 1 level of Exhaustion from all characters.
5
You outrun a massive pack of woodland predators by finding a hidden cave complex. The geothermal heat inside provides perfect muscle relaxation, allowing you to instantly clear 2 levels of Exhaustion per character tonight with no check needed.
Searching moss covered remains buried in the brush yields pristine survival gear. Upgrading your footwear provides incredible tactical spring to your steps, granting all characters +2 Initiative until the end of tomorrow.
Examining a pristine forest clearing reveals a thriving patch of ironwood bark. Binding this rigid material to your plating fortifies your defenses, granting all characters +1 AC until the end of tomorrow.
6
Bursting rapidly through an unmapped thicket leads you directly to a heavily laden fruit grove. The absolute abundance of sweet berries is staggering, ensuring your Forage Action tonight succeeds automatically with max yield.
Discovering the stone ruins of an old ranger station provides dry storage boxes. Cracking the sealed crates open reveals pristine preserved rations, granting you 1d6 Supply Units immediately.
Unearthing a hollowed out tree trunk reveals a massive hidden smuggler stash. Pulling out heavy sacks of salted meats and clean water skins feels like a miracle, granting you 2d6 Supply Units immediately.
d6
Forced March Pace
Scout’s Pace
Mapping Pace
1
Sprinting across loose rock shelves meets a stiff headwind that breaks your rhythm. The brutal uphill climb drains your physical reflexes, forcing all characters to suffer a -2 penalty to Initiative until the end of tomorrow.
Traversing steep scree fields slips abrasive gravel into your armor joints. The gritty friction grinds down your leather straps and buckles, forcing all characters to suffer -1 AC until the end of tomorrow.
Climbing into an elevated pass exposes your team to a howling gale. The noise covers the approach of a ravenous mountain predator plunging from the crags above, triggering an immediate combat encounter.
2
Stamping heavily down a sloped ravine triggers a sudden rockslide across the lane. The crashing boulders destroy your perimeter alarm bells, causing Secure Perimeter to fail automatically so that any overnight combat initiates as a Surprise Round.
Navigating a narrow ledge crumbles the bedrock beneath your line. You must scramble up a completely uncharted vertical chute to survive the collapse, forcing the DM to move the party to an adjacent unplanned hex.
Mapping as the sun dips behind the high ridges drops the temperature to miserable freezing lows. The shivering completely shatters your group morale, causing the party to lose all Inspiration.
3
Sprinting past a wide rock fissure requires a desperate leaping jump to cross. A crate slips loose during the landing, forcing you to choose: 1 character gains 1 level of Exhaustion OR the group loses 3 Supply Units.
Detecting horn calls echoing across the rock faces alerts you to an aggressive local scout patrol. The frantic physical effort required to run and hide wears down bodies, causing all characters to gain 1 level of Exhaustion.
Charting the inclines triggers a localized tremor that throws you down a gravel wash. The brutal tumble batters the group severely, causing one character to gain 2 Exhaustion while another takes 1 Exhaustion.
4
You find a natural wind shielded rocky chute that lets you safely bypass a treacherous slope. The elation of easily passing the deadly terrain motivates everyone, granting all characters 1 Inspiration point.
Peering inside a deep rock crevasse reveals a massive flat stone perfect for a campfire layout. The pre arranged windbreaks save hours of work, allowing one character of choice to take two Campfire Actions tonight.
Locating a shallow cave provides a usable stone hearth covered in dry aromatic roots. Crushing these roots creates a highly potent painkilling poultice, allowing you to automatically succeed your next Tend the Weary check.
5
Your high velocity rush pushes you over the highest crest hours ahead of schedule. You link up with a heavily guarded mountain dwarven caravan, allowing you to skip the Biome Matrix roll for the next hex for a peaceful travel day.
Scaling a steep rise to reach an old outpost gives you a clear view of the surrounding terrain. Spotting the safest trails downwards ensures tomorrow your Mapping Pace benefits come at the supply cost of a Scout’s Pace.
Discovering a secluded alcove provides a flawless tactical vantage point of the valleys below. Charting the sprawling mountain paths perfectly allows you to ignore your next Forced Detour result.
6
A powerful sweeping tailwind completely clears the dense mountain fog. The immaculate visibility spans for miles, meaning you cannot be Surprised by any encounters until the end of tomorrow.
Stumbling upon a series of hidden ancient switchbacks cut into the bedrock allows for a beautifully gentle ascent. Saving your leg muscles pays off, granting all characters immunity to new Exhaustion from travel hazards until the end of tomorrow.
Settling into a deep geothermally heated cavern system reveals walls covered in ancient dwarven battle runes. The history is fascinating, allowing you to forfeit a Campfire Action tonight to study the area for 1 Inspiration point.
d6
Forced March Pace
Scout’s Pace
Mapping Pace
1
Charging forward across the open ground triggers a sudden stampede of wild horn beasts. Diving out of the way leaves everyone trembling with adrenaline, forcing all Campfire Actions tonight to be at Disadvantage.
Trekking through tall grass conceals a sharp drop off that heavily damages your main tent poles. Repairing the structural splinters takes all night, meaning only 1 character in the party may take a Campfire Action tonight.
Navigating into a choking dust storm blankets the steppe and fills your medical kits with fine grit. Trying to clean the dirty bandages is a nightmare, increasing the Tend the Weary check DC by +3 tonight.
2
Sprinting across the flat steppe exposes your gear to a sudden ripping dust devil. The violent wind tears away unsecured side satchels entirely, forcing you to lose 1d4 Supply Units immediately.
Marching into a miles wide swarm of voracious locusts covers your equipment in crushed bugs. The disgusting cleanup process demands vast amounts of clean water, forcing you to consume +1 Supply Unit on your next travel day.
Examining high wheat fields reveals a massive infestation of biting chigger insects. The constant painful itching prevents you from standing still in the brush, imposing Disadvantage on all Forage checks tonight.
3
Stepping into a deep badger burrow collapses the earth under your fast moving line. Severely twisting your ankles limits your maximum velocity, preventing you from declaring a Forced March tomorrow.
Encountering a regional militia group results in a massive shakedown. They seize your compasses and drawing charcoal on suspicion of espionage, preventing you from declaring a Mapping Pace tomorrow.
Trekking through a sudden thick overgrowth of prairie thistles delays your progress for hours. Falling so far behind schedule leaves you with only one option, forcing you to declare a Forced March tomorrow.
4
Sprinting forward brings a crisp cooling rain that breaks the blistering prairie heatwave. The perfect weather washes away the grime and fatigue of the journey, allowing you to instantly clear 2 levels of Exhaustion per character tonight with no check needed.
Peering into a small stone cairn reveals a perfectly maintained frontier scouting post. Upgrading your weapon grips with dry leather found inside sharpens your reactions, granting all characters +2 Initiative until the end of tomorrow.
Discovering a sturdy abandoned shepherd sod hut provides a stash of thick boiled leather padding. Adding the tough layers beneath your armor plates softens impacts, granting all characters +1 AC until the end of tomorrow.
5
Blazing down the valley allows you to intercept a fresh predator kill before wild scavengers can drag it away. The incredible surplus of untouched meat is a massive blessing, ensuring your Forage Action tonight succeeds automatically with max yield.
Hailing a friendly nomadic merchant caravan results in a lively trade session. The generous traders gift you several sacks of salted prairie root, granting you 1d6 Supply Units immediately.
Walking through a shimmering fairy ring reveals a buried iron lockbox. Prying the rusted lid off exposes dense blocks of military grade pemmican rations, granting you 2d6 Supply Units immediately.
6
Sprinting across a dried creek bed strikes your boot against an ancient bronze shield. You wipe away the mud to reveal detailed ceremonial engravings, yielding a valuable antiquity worth 150 gp.
Advancing through a hidden valley leads you directly to a massive paleontological fossil bed. You carefully extract a perfect glowing saber tooth, yielding an antiquity worth 250 gp but hauling it forces you to consume +1 extra Supply Unit daily until it is sold.
Crossing a massive antelope migration route reveals an effortlessly flat compacted path. The sheer joy of walking on perfect stable ground heals your aching joints, instantly clearing 1 level of Exhaustion from all characters.
d6
Forced March Pace
Scout’s Pace
Mapping Pace
1
Sprinting forward triggers a bubbling pocket of toxic swamp gas that explodes directly under your running line. The deafening blast completely deafens the group, causing Secure Perimeter to fail automatically so that any overnight combat initiates as a Surprise Round.
Marching into a swarm of parasitic bore worms forces you to wildly sprint off the established safe path. You find yourself waist deep in uncharted mangrove roots, forcing the DM to move the party to an adjacent unplanned hex.
Charting the marsh covers your surveying gear in thick foul smelling mire. The disgusting stench sinks deep into your clothes and ruins your mood completely, causing the party to lose all Inspiration.
2
Charging recklessly through the bayou sends your line sliding deep into a hidden silt bog. A heavy supply chest sinks into the mud, forcing you to choose: 1 character gains 1 level of Exhaustion OR the group loses 3 Supply Units.
Spotting a massive tangle of rotting mangrove debris completely blocks your immediate track. Hacking your way through the dense wet wood takes hours of grueling labor, causing all characters to gain 1 level of Exhaustion.
Mapping near stagnant water unleashes a swarm of black mosquitoes carrying swamp fever. The toxic bites severely sicken the team leaders, causing one character to gain 2 Exhaustion while another takes 1 Exhaustion.
3
Pushing speed limits causes a sudden bayou flash flood to spill across the path. The rushing water knocks you off your feet and rattles your senses, forcing all characters to suffer a -2 penalty to Initiative until the end of tomorrow.
Encountering an aggressive marsh alligator forces you to wade through caustic acidic mud to escape. The harsh sludge eats away at your armor bindings, forcing all characters to suffer -1 AC until the end of tomorrow.
Passing a patch of swamp puffballs releases an oily obscuring mist across your lens arrays. As you blindly wipe the glass clean a massive fen stalker lunges from the reeds, triggering an immediate combat encounter.
4
Emerging from the thick muck brings your line onto a solid ancient stone terrace built above the water. You find a perfectly secure vaulted chamber to sleep in, allowing you to skip the Biome Matrix roll for the next hex for a peaceful travel day.
Navigating directly into a grove of weeping iron trees reveals a clear elevated canopy bridge system. Staying above the mud provides incredible visibility, meaning tomorrow your Mapping Pace benefits come at the supply cost of a Scout’s Pace.
Locating an old fisherman’s abandoned stilt shack offers dry floorboards and a desk filled with local tidal charts. Cross referencing his safe paths with yours works perfectly, allowing you to ignore your next Forced Detour result.
5
Sprinting straight through a dense thicket leads you to a stable hidden causeway. The wide open sightlines completely eliminate the risk of ambush, meaning you cannot be Surprised by any encounters until the end of tomorrow.
Following a swarm of brilliant pulsing glow insects guides your cautious eyes around a massive quicksand trap. The stress free navigation spares your muscles, granting all characters immunity to new Exhaustion from travel hazards until the end of tomorrow.
Gathering thick patches of edible bioluminescent moss illuminates a submerged temple door. The glowing ruins are utterly mesmerizing, allowing you to forfeit a Campfire Action tonight to study the area for 1 Inspiration point.
6
Chasing down a skittering giant mud crab across the flats reveals a stunning hidden waterfall of pure clean water. Discovering the beauty in this dismal place is incredibly uplifting, granting all characters 1 Inspiration point.
Spotting a single bloom of the legendary pale ghost lotus floating near the trail allows you to harvest its rare restorative sap. Drinking the nectar hyper charges your focus, allowing one character of choice to take two Campfire Actions tonight.
Examining a moss covered obelisk reveals detailed alchemical recipes for treating tropical diseases. Applying this new knowledge to your medical routine is flawless, allowing you to automatically succeed your next Tend the Weary check.
d6
Forced March Pace
Scout’s Pace
Mapping Pace
1
Sprinting across burning sands leaves you dangerously dehydrated under the intense glare of the midday sun. The brutal heat forces you to tap deeply into emergency water casks, forcing you to consume +1 Supply Unit on your next travel day.
Trekking through trackless shifting dunes slides bedrock beneath you and buries the sparse desert scrub brush. With nothing visible to harvest you are left empty handed, imposing Disadvantage on all Forage checks tonight.
Mapping the flats exposes your camp to a sudden blistering sandstorm that scours your gear. The violent wind rips the lids off your dry food barrels, forcing you to lose 1d4 Supply Units immediately.
2
Racing through a white alkali flat exposes you to caustic fine dust that corrodes the brass gears of your astrolabes. The ruined navigation tools completely blind your surveyor, preventing you from declaring a Mapping Pace tomorrow.
Watching the horizon reveals heat mirages dancing across the shimmering sand. The optical illusion leads you miles off course before you realize the error, forcing you to declare a Forced March tomorrow to catch up.
Charting the wastes under blistering dry heat heavily burns the soles of your boots. The painful blisters make rapid movement absolute torture, preventing you from declaring a Forced March tomorrow.
3
Stepping onto a sudden loose sand shelf drops half your team into a deep sinkhole. Digging them out takes so much time and energy that establishing camp is rushed, meaning only 1 character in the party may take a Campfire Action tonight.
Encountering a small band of defensive desert nomads forces you to take a rocky jagged detour. The sharp stones cut deeply into your pack animals and mounts, increasing the Tend the Weary check DC by +3 tonight.
Approaching an ancient stone cistern reveals it is completely filled with venomous desert centipedes. Fleeing the terrifying swarm leaves everyone too jittery to relax, forcing all Campfire Actions tonight to be at Disadvantage.
4
Reaching the deep shadow of an ancient canyon wall allows your line to cool down and rest. Digging into the cool sand at the base reveals a buried cache of dates and nuts, granting you 1d6 Supply Units immediately.
Detecting a cluster of thick desert succulents provides a steady source of moisture. Hacking the massive barrel cactus open reveals gallons of pristine sweet water, granting you 2d6 Supply Units immediately.
Locating a deep shadow canyon wall shields your camp from the worst environmental hazards. Tracking a massive desert lizard into the rocks secures a massive bounty of meat, ensuring your Forage Action tonight succeeds automatically with max yield.
5
Running through a sudden heavy shift in the wind unearths a gold leafed canopic jar. The solid gold lid is incredibly heavy, yielding an antiquity worth 250 gp but hauling it forces you to consume +1 extra Supply Unit daily until it is sold.
Spotting the sun bleached ribs of an old historic ruin on the horizon provides a perfect windbreak. Resting inside the cool stone structures revitalizes the group, instantly clearing 1 level of Exhaustion from all characters.
Camping within the massive ribcage of an ancient leviathan creature reveals ancient glyphs. Carefully chipping away a glowing sapphire eye from the fossil skull pays off, yielding a valuable antiquity worth 150 gp.
6
Sprinting across a hard sandstone shelf uncovers a dead nomad’s leather visor. Recovering the protective eyewear shields you from the blinding sun glare, granting all characters +2 Initiative until the end of tomorrow.
Examining an ancient sandstone obelisk reveals detailed chemical symbols carved into the bedrock. Applying these formulas to create a hardening resin for your shields works perfectly, granting all characters +1 AC until the end of tomorrow.
Unearthing a clay jar buried deep within a prominent surveying dune rewards your investigation with a potent aromatic salt. Sniffing the euphoric crystals completely resets your brain, allowing you to instantly clear 2 levels of Exhaustion per character tonight with no check needed.
d6
Forced March Pace
Scout’s Pace
Mapping Pace
1
Pushing your limits through a screaming wind chill drops temperatures to arctic lows. The bitter frost aggressively drains your body heat despite your heavy furs, causing all characters to gain 1 level of Exhaustion.
Stepping into a hidden ice crevasse catches your line and violently snaps your safety tethers. Two party members plunge into the freezing darkness and suffer brutal injuries during the rescue, causing one character to gain 2 Exhaustion while another takes 1 Exhaustion.
Mapping a sudden frost heave buckles the frozen soil and shatters your supply sled. The spilled gear slides towards a deep chasm, forcing you to choose: 1 character gains 1 level of Exhaustion OR the group loses 3 Supply Units.
2
Charging down an ice slope at breakneck speed sends you tumbling through a field of jagged black ice. The razor sharp shards shred your thick leather armor, forcing all characters to suffer -1 AC until the end of tomorrow.
Traversing a shelf of hidden ice breaks through the crust and drops you into a subterranean glacial cave. The crash awakens a massive hibernating frost worm, triggering an immediate combat encounter.
Tracking a pack of starving tundra wolves reveals them locking onto your scent. The constant nervous scanning for yellow eyes in the blizzard ruins your tactical focus, forcing all characters to suffer a -2 penalty to Initiative until the end of tomorrow.
3
Sprinting through a sudden flurry of bitter blinding snow completely erases your trail markers. You wander hopelessly off course into a jagged valley of ice spikes, forcing the DM to move the party to an adjacent unplanned hex.
Clearing freezing frost markers requires constant physical vigilance across the ice. The unending gray skies and bone chilling misery crushes your spirit, causing the party to lose all Inspiration.
Surveying a localized glaze of black ice forces you to set up camp on a dangerously slanted slippery slope. You cannot anchor your alarm tripwires into the frozen bedrock, causing Secure Perimeter to fail automatically so that any overnight combat initiates as a Surprise Round.
4
You catch a long gentle glacial slope that allows your line to slide effortlessly ahead for miles. The total lack of physical strain keeps you perfectly fresh, granting all characters immunity to new Exhaustion from travel hazards until the end of tomorrow.
Peering into a deep ice cave reveals a beautifully preserved prehistoric mural frozen in the walls. The ancient artwork is breathtaking, allowing you to forfeit a Campfire Action tonight to study the area for 1 Inspiration point.
Locating a subterranean hot spring pocket melts the surrounding snow into a massive clear basin. The total lack of visual obstruction across the white plains means you cannot be Surprised by any encounters until the end of tomorrow.
5
Pushing your rapid charging pace allows you to outrun a freezing avalanche by seconds. The massive rush of adrenaline makes everyone work at double speed, allowing one character of choice to take two Campfire Actions tonight.
Following a pure white frost fox leads you straight to a thick patch of bright red healing lichen. The incredibly potent magical flora easily cures frostbite, allowing you to automatically succeed your next Tend the Weary check.
Camping near a massive migratory caribou herd provides an incredible sense of life in the dead wastes. The beautiful majestic beasts bring a deep sense of peace to the camp, granting all characters 1 Inspiration point.
6
Sprinting past the frozen remains of an ancient explorer reveals a heavily annotated leather map. Cross referencing his brilliant survey lines with yours ensures tomorrow your Mapping Pace benefits come at the supply cost of a Scout’s Pace.
Spotting a pristine mammoth carcass half buried in a glacier reveals the beast died pinned under a massive stone marker. The marker perfectly points out the safest path through the mountains, allowing you to ignore your next Forced Detour result.
Discovering a prehistoric geothermal path beneath the ice cuts straight through the mountain ridge. You bypass days of miserable overland marching entirely, allowing you to skip the Biome Matrix roll for the next hex for a peaceful travel day.
d6
Forced March Pace
Scout’s Pace
Mapping Pace
1
Driving forward a massive cresting wave sweeps unsecured cargo into the deep. Chasing down your floating barrels pushes you miles behind schedule, forcing you to declare a Forced March tomorrow.
Sailing through relentless sea spray and damp winds heavily damages your main sail rigging. The tedious complex repairs demand slow and steady cruising, preventing you from declaring a Forced March tomorrow.
Mapping near the reefs triggers a grinding crunch as a razor sharp coral shoal tears into your lower structures. You must focus entirely on bailing water rather than charting the stars, preventing you from declaring a Mapping Pace tomorrow.
2
Pushing speed limits into a swirling hydraulic vortex violently tosses the crew across the deck. Treating the severe concussions and broken bones is incredibly difficult on a rocking ship, increasing the Tend the Weary check DC by +3 tonight.
Navigating shifting shallows violently scrapes your lowest support structures. The terrifying sounds of the hull groaning ruins everyone’s ability to sleep or work, forcing all Campfire Actions tonight to be at Disadvantage.
Tracking a pod of massive leviathan whales reveals them breaching violently next to your position. The massive tidal wakes flood the lower decks and demand constant pumping, meaning only 1 character in the party may take a Campfire Action tonight.
3
Sailing directly into a sudden erratic ocean squall hits your alignment with heavy winds. The violent tossing waters spoil your open fishing bait and snap your nets, imposing Disadvantage on all Forage checks tonight.
Battling a shifting current pulls your course dangerously close to a jagged sea stack. The glancing collision smashes open your fresh water barrels, forcing you to lose 1d4 Supply Units immediately.
Charting the horizon an unexpected surface heatwave completely stalls the air currents over the water. The brutal humidity spoils your perishable foods rapidly, forcing you to consume +1 Supply Unit on your next travel day.
4
Locking into a reliable deep ocean current channel carries your vessel forward smoothly without needing the oars. The luxurious physical rest allows the crew to recover, instantly clearing 1 level of Exhaustion from all characters.
Following a pod of blue dolphins guides your course safely past a submerged shipwreck. Dredging the shallow wreck with a grappling hook pulls up a silver captains bell, yielding a valuable antiquity worth 150 gp.
Catching an incredibly smooth trade wind allows you to reel in a massive floating clump of golden sea ambergris. This rare treasure is highly sought after, yielding an antiquity worth 250 gp but hauling it forces you to consume +1 extra Supply Unit daily until it is sold.
5
Pushing extreme speed allows you to completely outmaneuver an approaching blockade fleet. You salvage the heavy iron plating from a derelict ship they left behind and bolt it to your hull, granting all characters +1 AC until the end of tomorrow.
Pulling alongside a floating abandoned debris field provides an incredible bounty of pre chopped firewood and clean hammocks. The absolute comfort of a perfect camp allows you to instantly clear 2 levels of Exhaustion per character tonight with no check needed.
Catching a warm effortless thermal current carries you forward into a massive patch of glowing red algae. The supernatural slickness coats your hull and makes your ship incredibly fast, granting all characters +2 Initiative until the end of tomorrow.
6
Sailing forward a strange glowing salt seal forms naturally over the stress fractures in your supports. Deep inside the crystal buildup you find trapped military rations preserved for centuries, granting you 2d6 Supply Units immediately.
Halting safely as anchor ropes catch on a shallow sand reef secures the vessel perfectly. Throwing your nets into the teeming crystal blue waters guarantees a massive haul of fat tuna, ensuring your Forage Action tonight succeeds automatically with max yield.
Hauling up a barnacle crusted iron chest from a shallow sandbar rewards your mapping efforts. Bashing the rusted lock off reveals dozens of sealed bottles of fresh dwarven ale, granting you 1d6 Supply Units immediately.
d6
Forced March Pace
Scout’s Pace
Mapping Pace
1
Pushing power systems past safe tolerances triggers a sudden altitude stall. The sudden drop into the lower cloud layer drops you directly into a flock of territorial sky drakes, triggering an immediate combat encounter.
Encountering severe bone shaking turbulence violently rattles your route and fractures primary storage racks. The intense vibration leaves the entire crew dizzy and nauseous, forcing all characters to suffer a -2 penalty to Initiative until the end of tomorrow.
Flying into an intense crackling magnetic storm fries your arcane instruments. The violent static electricity permanently scorches and weakens your metallic armor plates, forcing all characters to suffer -1 AC until the end of tomorrow.
2
Forcing peak velocity through high altitude jetstreams undergoes a catastrophic thermal lockup. The terrifying reality of nearly plummeting to your deaths deeply shakes the crew, causing the party to lose all Inspiration.
Navigating through a thick oily mist severely slickens your deck and ruins your alarm tripwires. You cannot physically tie the knots needed to secure your borders, causing Secure Perimeter to fail automatically so that any overnight combat initiates as a Surprise Round.
Mapping the upper layers results in a massive swarm of migratory birds clogging your intakes. To avoid a catastrophic engine blowout you must dive blindly into an uncharted storm front, forcing the DM to move the party to an adjacent unplanned hex.
3
Hitting a sudden thermal crosswind violently buffets your line of flight and throws heavy cargo across the deck. Two crewmates are crushed under a sliding brass cannon, causing one character to gain 2 Exhaustion while another takes 1 Exhaustion.
Passing a localized storm cell discharges highly dangerous static crackles along your gear. A primary fuel line ruptures and catches fire, forcing you to choose: 1 character gains 1 level of Exhaustion OR the group loses 3 Supply Units.
Flying through a localized cloud of heavy atmospheric frost coats your entire hull in thick ice. The brutal freezing temperatures sap the body heat of the entire crew, causing all characters to gain 1 level of Exhaustion.
4
Dropping into a pristine cloud slipstream channel brings perfect flight stability to your vessel. You find a patch of rare sky blooming aloe vera floating in the mist that heals burns instantly, allowing you to automatically succeed your next Tend the Weary check.
Ascending into a high altitude pocket reveals a breathtaking view of the sparkling stars above the cloud layer. The sheer cosmic beauty deeply touches the souls of the crew, granting all characters 1 Inspiration point.
Entering a light mist layer reveals a highly predictable and totally calm weather pattern. The complete lack of required steering leaves everyone incredibly bored and productive, allowing one character of choice to take two Campfire Actions tonight.
5
Sprinting forward carries you cleanly through a dense cloud of glowing glimmer moths. Tracking their unique magical flight paths reveals a perfectly safe corridor through the next storm front, allowing you to ignore your next Forced Detour result.
Hailing a friendly merchant airship gliding alongside your path signals peaceful aerial trade. They generously guide you into a massive floating cloud city, allowing you to skip the Biome Matrix roll for the next hex for a peaceful travel day.
Gathering thick moist cloud vapor pooling on your gear provides perfectly clean hydration. You easily chart the safest watering holes in the sky, meaning tomorrow your Mapping Pace benefits come at the supply cost of a Scout’s Pace.
6
Pushing peak speed pulses a powerful energy surge through your arcane cores. The radiant light illuminates a forgotten constellation map painted on your ceiling, allowing you to forfeit a Campfire Action tonight to study the area for 1 Inspiration point.
Flying past the shattered wreckage of a downed sky vessel provides a highly elevated crow’s nest. The immense altitude grants you flawless visibility over the cloud cover, meaning you cannot be Surprised by any encounters until the end of tomorrow.
Steering directly through a cloud of floating magnetic lodestones completely cleanses the static from your ship. The smooth stabilized flight requires zero physical exertion, granting all characters immunity to new Exhaustion from travel hazards until the end of tomorrow.
Step 5: Campfire Actions
Travel concludes if the party has reached their destination. If a character has 5 levels of Exhaustion upon arrival to a settlement, they must complete a Long Rest before functioning normally. If their destination is in the wilds or the journey continues beyond the current hex, and any member of the party has reached 5 levels of Exhaustion, proceed to Step 6. Otherwise, each character may choose one Campfire Action in place of standard downtime or profession activities, followed by a Long Rest, during which the DM may initiate an overnight encounter. At the start of the next day, the party returns to Step 2 of the Travel Phase for the next hex.
Campfire Action
Mechanical Details & Rules
Forage
Once per day, a character may attempt to gather resources or manage inventory. The character makes a DC 12 Wisdom (Survival) check. On a success, they recover 1d6 + the character’s Wisdom (Survival) modifier in Supply Units.
Tend the Weary
A character proficient in Medicine can tend their companions. They make a DC 13 Wisdom (Medicine) check. On a success, they clear 1 level of Exhaustion from one companion. If the check beats the DC by 5 or more, they may instead clear 1 level of Exhaustion from two companions, or 2 levels from a single companion. This action can be performed once per day.
Secure the Perimeter
A character makes a DC 13 Wisdom (Survival) check to construct camp defenses. On a success, any character taking watch during the night gains a +5 bonus to their Passive Perception, and the party cannot be surprised by combat initiated overnight. On a failure, the defenses are poorly constructed, and any nocturnal combat begins with the party surprised on the first round.
Step 6: The Toll of the Wild
While the Travel Phase is normally a constant cycle through the days of travel, sometimes one or more party members may push their limits too far. When a member of the party reaches 5 levels of Exhaustion during the Travel Phase, they are unable to continue and must complete a Forced Respite which takes one full day of rest and consumes 1 Supply Unit for each character.
During a Forced Respite, the party cannot move to the next hex or perform any Travel Phase steps. Characters suffering from 5 levels of Exhaustion must spend the day in complete rest and cannot perform any Campfire Actions. Otherwise, each character may perform one Campfire Action at Advantage. At the end of the day, all characters clear 2 levels of Exhaustion. The party loses their travel momentum and they cannot declare a Forced March on their next travel day.
