Hey everyone… no feedback on the builder from this week’s session (except to bring up my wishlist item of a GM party summary so I can see the scores of my players skills at a glance when rolling blind checks, and some shared rolling facility or avrae style discord plugin… [hopefully not run through a certain parent company VTT])
The first chapter of book two of sky kings tomb has us take a ten day trip through the darklands, with very little in the book about how to run it. This AP has lots of darklands but it seems like they kind of want you to Indiana jones montage your way through it and get to the next beat. I think that’s a waste. So here’s how I am running travel and I’d love to hear from others about how you run travel too. (Probably a repost of information from the last travel sequence, but that’s fine)
Before traveling: in town downtime
- our guide for this section tells the players about how long of a journey it will be and recommends gathering information and a shopping list of useful adventuring gear
- gather information: procure at least a rough map
- check supplies/spend cash
- check bulk and how the party is carrying stuff
Setting out for a day of travel:
- daily preparation
- marching order
- travel activities
While traveling: two towers travel vistas
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I briefly describe the terrain and give a cinematic prompt such as “being watched” “thrill of the hunt” or “descent into a tomb”.
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One player describes the director’s cut cinematography and if they lean into the prompt they get a hero point
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here’s a list of darklands terrain I made:
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Scenery (stone): Basalt, Granite, Obsidian, Conglomerate, Limestone, Sandstone, Shale, Marble, Slate, Mineral, Feldspar, Gravel, Silt, Fungus, Pools of Water, Swamp, Slime, Spring, Magma, Collapsed Rock, Crevice, Stalactites, Moss, Small Streams, Illusory Starscape, Stream, Lake
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Darklands “Weather”: Breeze, Heat, Warmth, Cool, Cold, Moist, Dry, Sweet, Foul, Reek, Guano, Sulphur, Ozone, Floral, Citrus, Fruity, Salty, Spicy, Fresh, Metallic, Windstorm, Gusts, Dust, Spores, Fog, Mist, Steam, Gas Cloud, Sound of Vermin, Sound of Rumbling, Sound of Rushing Water, Unstable Ground, Swampy Pools, Radiation, Methane, Rotting Trash, Wet Fur Smell, Sweat, Flies, Webs, Ice, Fire, Incandescence
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Cinematic prompt ideas: Sense of Unknown, Environment, Mood, Time Pressure, Haunting Presence, Pursued, Pursuing, Harried, Need for Stealth, Lack of Supplies, Trap, Wandering Denizen, Maze, Wildlife Territory, Weather, Terrain, Puzzle, Ambushed, Guarded Gate, Arcane Ward, Friendly Traveler, Supplies, Shelter, Break in Weather, Shortcut, Sign, Cache, Ambush, Fresh Horses, Chance to Spy/Scout, Alarm, Hunting Denizens, Ambushed, Blocked Passage, Split Party, Haunting, Damage, Condition, Change in Weather/Terrain, Trapped, Fatigued, Doomed, Wounded, Clumsy, Drained, Enfeebled, Stupefied, Encumbered, Sickened, Broken Item, Lost Item, Monster/site/hazard Action, Unwelcome Truth, Approaching Threat, Damage, Spend Resource, Boomerang, Reveal Requirements/Consequences
While traveling: two towers style “leaves of Lorien”
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for each day of travel I have planned two or three set piece discoveries or events
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these events should mostly be opportunities to learn about lore/history of the environment and give hints about current denizens, foreshadow upcoming threats or flesh out campaign lore.
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Often this will be a historical monument, something left behind or an NPC/neutral creature.
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Often there’s a skill check, and the “environment” accrues awareness points of the party’s passage like an Infiltration, resulting in possible combat encounters at certain thresholds
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Occasionally, investigation leads to loot (gotta keep up with the ABP).
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Rarely, the event results in loss/fatigue effects
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Here’s a list of things I made to spark some ideas:
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Cultures/denizens: Dwarf (hryngar), Gnome (drathnelar), Xulgath, Elemental, Kobold, Goblin, Orc, Drake, Tentacle Beast, Ooze, Fungi, Fey, Fiend, Celestial, Ysoki, Halfling, Undead, Aberrant, Shadow, Ethereal, Morlocks, Dero, Caligni, Giant, Mongrelmen, Grimlock, Ghoul, Vegepygmy, Ulat-Kini, Ayindilar (Cave Elf), Neothelid (Worms), Urdefhan (Orvian Vampire), Xoarian (Illithid), Gug, Gore Weaver, Dragon, Sekmin (Serpentfolk)
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Locations: Tower, Crypts, Keep, Cairn, Giant Statue, Caves, Sewers, Temple, Mines, Mansion, Academy, Dungeon, Barrow, Vault, Tomb, Warren, Ship, Sanctum, Cove, Castle, Ruins, Shrine, Abandoned Campsite, Mine Track/Cart, Bridge, Well, Maze, Portal, Grove, Lair,
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Monuments: Sarcophagus, Obelisk, Orb, Bone Pile, Skull, Megalith, Pillars, Throne, Statues, Well, Orrery, Effigy, Arcane Circle, Spire, Altar, Pit, Fountain, Archway, Cage, Brazier, Graffiti, Runes, Claw Marks, Adventurer Litter, Boring Animal Track, Roots, Crystalline Structures, Fight Aftermath
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Dropped items: Coin, Figurine, Gemstone, Amulet, Earing, Bell, Cone, Bowl, Candle, Ring, Circlet, Bracelet, Dagger, Goblet, Key, Lamp, Broach, Skull, Mask, Necklace, Potion, Weapon, Shield, Mirror, Tool, Rag, Skin
Camping
- watches are always set in pairs so the pcs have some one on one conversation and build their bonds…
- with an odd number of characters there may be harmless passing wildlife or npcs (definitely harrowers
>> thanks again for the awesome harrowing deck tool! )
Other modes of travel:
- a new hope (“c3po crosses the dunes”/“lack of faith”): instead of a travel scene, the screen wipes and we get a cut scene of the bad guys plotting, previewing for us their badass skills and advancing their “clocks”
- Indiana jones montage: this is my last resort… only if players are bored of travel…
One caution when running travel:
- Oregon trail travel: I’ve seen many suggestions to run travel with roles assigned like navigator, scout, packmaster, morale booster, forager, etc. and none of those little mini-games ever seemed to run as well for me as just playing overland travel out using infiltration rules with a marching order and exploration activities. I do not recommend this role assignment model. If often just feels like players roll the dice until the clocks fill with no interesting choices for the player to make or contributions to add to the narritive… We have these awesome character sheets we’ve worked so hard to customize and then playing this role-based travel we’re just dumped onto a mini-game where 90% of our abilities can’t be brought to bear … In other words, don’t play Oregon Trail in your Pathfinder session. it’s just a time filler and you’d be better off Indiana Jones montaging it to the next interesting beat.
Thanks again for everything you guys are doing. Looking forward to more great things from Demiplane.