1. Make a Travel Check
The guide makes a a Travel Check. This is a Survival check, or a Nature check with a -2 penalty in addition to whatever penalties would apply to the Survival check. The listed DC is the Moderate (+0) difficulty. The goal here is to give the guide an active involvement in determining the party's available options, by granting them action points to spend on outcomes.
The Party Base Speed is the speed of the slowest member, and assumes the part wishes to travel as a single coherent group. This does not speak to any short-term movement of 30 minutes or less.
Open Terrain includes Oceans, Plains and Farmland, and similar terrains with generally unblocked lines of sight that are generally level. (Also Desert, Glaciers, and Snow Fields, though these are not found on Faranthal.)
Difficult Terrain includes Forest, Hills, and Wastelands, and similar terrains that impede movement and occassionally block lines of sight. (Also Jungles, though not found on Faranthanl.)
Hard (or Greater Difficult) Terrain includes Marshes, Swamps, and Mountains, and similar terrains that greatly impede movement (often requiring skill checks of some sort) and frequently block lines of sight. (Also Dense or Thick Jungles, despite Faranthal's lack.)
You must be have at least the listed training to use a column; it isn't just enough to succeed at a higher DC. Expert, Master, and Legendary Survivalists may use the Trained column without risk (they automatically succeed). Master Survivalists may choose to use the Trained or Expert columns. Legendary Survivalists may use the Expert, Master, or Legendary columns. For each level of training beyond the minimum listed for the column, the survivalists gain one additional travel point.
Travel Points Table
| CHECK | Untrained | Trained | Expert | Master | Legendary |
| Base DC | N/A | Open: 15
Difficult: 17
Hard: 20 | Open: 20
Difficult: 22
Hard: 25 | Open: 30
Difficult: 32
Hard: 35 | Open: 40
Difficult: 42
Hard: 45 |
| Critical Success | N/A | 1 Move is free. | 1 Move and Route Planning is free. | 1 Move and Route Planning is free, +1 travel point. | 1 Move and Route Planning are free, +2 travel point. |
| Success | Must make Sense Direction check; cannot use Route Planning. | Normal | Normal | 1 Move is Free | 1 Move or Route Planning is Free. |
| Failure | Cannot use Route Panning or Map An Area, Must make Sense Direction check. | Cannot use Route Planning. Must make a Sense Direction check. Must also succeed on a Sense Direction check to use Map An Area. | Must use Trained to determine Travel Points. No Bonus Travel points. | Must use Expert to determine Travel Points. No Bonus Travel Points. | Must use Master to determine Travel Points. No Bonus Travel Points. |
Critical Failure
| N/A | As failure, plus Must use Untrained to determine Travel Points. No Bonus Travel Points. | Must use Untrained to determine Travel Points. No Bonus Travel Points | Must use Trained to determine Travel Points. No Bonus Travel Points. | Must use Expert to determine Travel Points. No Bonus Travel Points. |
| Party Base Speed | Untrained | Trained | Expert | Master | Legendary |
| 10 feet or less | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| 15 feet | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 |
| 20 feet | 3 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 |
| 25 feet | 3 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 |
| 30 feet | 4 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 8 |
| 35 feet | 4 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 8 |
| 40 feet | 4 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 |
| 45 feet | 6 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| 50 feet | 6 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 10 |
| 55 feet | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 11 |
| 60 feet or more | 6 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 12 |
2. Roll encounter/do not resolve.
Even though the Route Planning action allows Master Survivalists to predict the Weather, still nothing can be done to avoid it barring sheltering in place.
3. Pay Weather Costs (Optional)
| Fog (not Mountains) | Fog (Mountains) | Light Rain/Snow | Heavy Rain/Snow | High Winds | Extreme Weather |
| 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
4. Pay Terrain Costs (Optional)
Flying reduces the terrain difficulty of hills and mountains by one category (you still need to climb), but ignore the benefits of roads.
Roads reduce terrain cost by one, though not if the party is flying. On open terrain this amounts to a single free travel point. If moving 45-55 feet on a road in open terrain gain an additional 2 travel points. 4 points if you are moving 60 feet or more.
| Speed <= 30 feet | Speed 30 - 55 feet | Speed >= 60 feet |
Open Terrain
| 0 | 0 | 0 |
| -- With Road | -1 | -1; If 45-55 feet, -2 | -4 |
| Difficult Terrain | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| -- With Road | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Hard (Greater Difficult) Terrain | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| -- With Road | 1 | 2 | 3 |
5. If you didn't pay the Costs:
If you don't pay the terrain or weather cost (or both), this is known as a Forced March, and you must make a Fatigue check (Fortitude Saving Throw). This Fatigue Check increases in difficulty with the Harshness of the Terrain, and if failed, the entire party (and all mounts, travelling companions, pets, etc) gain the Fatigued condition.
| Terrain and Weather | Paid Terrain and Weather Costs? | Fatigue Check DC |
| Open | Only one or the other, not both | 20 |
| Open and Inclement Weather | Only one or the other, not both | 25 |
| Difficult | Only one or the other, not both | 25 |
| Difficult and Inclement Weather | Only one or the other, not both | 30 |
| Hard (Greater Difficult) | Only one or the other, not both | 30 |
| Hard and Inclement Weather | Only one or the other, not both | 35 |
| Any | Neither is paid. | Autofail the Fatigue Check. |
6. Spend Travel Points
Travel points can be spent on two different kinds of travel activities, Travel and Scouting. In general, you must buy 1 Move travel activity to make any travel progress, and 1 Route Planning activity to avoid becoming lost.
TRAVEL ACTIVITIES
Move: Cover 1/2 small hex (i.e. 3 miles travel). Spend multiple.
Travel 1 point:
*Fast March: Cover small hex (i.e. 6 miles travel). Spend no more than 3. Party must make Fortitude save DC 20 or become Fatigued. The save is DC 25 for the second small hex, and DC 30 for the third hex. The save increases by 10 in difficult terrain. Fast Marches are impossible in Hard/Greater Difficult Terrain.
*Quiet Travel: all characters can choose between Perception or Stealth for any Initiative rolls. Single spend. all day.
*Guide Companions: all companions gain "Follow The Expert", for overcoming the terrain. Single Spend, all day.
*Affect Travel: repeating a spell, or sustaining an effect, that can last an hour or more (but less than 4 hours), or can be applied at will. Apply the effect to all of the basic travel. If the spell lasts more than 4 hours, you do not need to use this activity to gain the benefits of the spell or effect. Single spend, all day.
*Forage: gain enough food to supply 1 person. If one assists, increase to 1/2 party. If 2 assist, up to 4/6/8 peoples. +people assist, +4 people fed. Can spend multiple.
*Defensive Travel: all gain +1 circumstance to Initiative, plus combat begins with Raised Shield and similar defensive actions, plus party's tracks are hidden ( Trained <= 2 medium creatures; Expert: <= 6 medium creatures; Master <= 12; Legendary <= 24 ) Single spend, all day.
*Altered Travel: some other method of, or activity during, travel that must also affect the speed of travel.This usually results in a small bonus to another check, similar to the other activities listed above. The exact details should be negotiated between the players and the gamemaster.
SCOUTING ACTIVITIES
Route Planning:
You only need to purchase one Route Planning activity. You do not need to spend any points on Route Planning if all you plan to do is follow a Road. If you failed your travel check, and you are Trained or Untrained in the skill you used, you may not purchase this activity.
| Trained | Expert | Master | Legendary |
| Not Lost | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Predict Weather | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Basic Camp | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Knowledge of Local Environment and Geography | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Types of Possible Weather | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Common Hostile/Dangerous Fauna | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Find Best Path | No | No | Yes (Terrain Cost -1) | Yes (Terrain Cost -2) |
| All Hostile Dangerous Fauna | No | No | Yes | Yes |
If you choose not to spend on this activity, you risk becoming lost as normal with Sense Direction, and you must make a Sense Direction check. If you fail, you become lost and all travel points are spent in a random (d6) direction. If you critically fail on the Sense Direction check, you cannot buy the Advanced Scouting, Map The Area, and Make Life Interesting activities.
Sense Direction Checks:
| Locale | Sense Direction DC |
| Within a Hex that has a Town or larger Settlement | 15 |
| Within a Hex that has a Village | 20 |
| Is Adjacent to a Town or larger Settlement | 20 |
| Is within a Hex that has a Road | 20 |
| Normal/Open Terrain Wilderness | 20 |
| Difficult Terrain Wilderness | 25 |
| Hard (Greater Difficult) Terrain Wilderness | 30 |
| Modifiers | |
| Light Rain or Fog | +2 |
| Heavy Rain or Thunderstorms | +5 |
| Hurricanes, Blizzards, Tornados, and other Extreme Weather Hazards. | +10 |
In a large Settlement (Towns and larger), or large Constructed Dungeons, the Guide may use Society instead of Survival for orientation. This does not involve long-distance travel.
Scouting 1 point:
*Affect Senses: repeating a spell, or sustaining effect, that can last an hour or more (but less than 4 hours), or can be applied at will. Apply the effect to all of the scouting activities. If the spell lasts more than 4 hours, you do not need to use this activity to gain the benefits of the spell or effect. (examples: detect magic, read aura). Single spend only, all day duration.
*Defensive Camp: Find a fortified camp (Anyone keeping watch or defending the camp gains a +2 circumstance bonus to initiative rolls and Perception checks to Seek creatures attempting to sneak up on the camp.) Also includes 2/4/8 squares of full cover. Can double spend to gain double benefits. Does not protect against extreme weather.
*Concealed Camp: Find a camp point that can be easily concealed. Is concealed at 12+Stealth bonus. +2/3/4/5 if you also have craft, or +2 assisted by someone with craft. Double spend raises base DC to 15+; triple to 20+. Cannot spend more than triple. Does not protect against severe or extreme weather.
*Base Camp: Find a point suitable for a long-term camp (water, basic food); cannot fail or critically fail forage/subsist checks. Single spend. Protects against severe and extreme weather.
*Forward Scouting: (Trained) Know the nature of the encounter before it happens, init at +2. (Expert) When rolling for random encounters may force a reroll of the encounter; must take the reroll. (Master) choose either result of the reroll. (Legendary) May move either result one line up/down on the table. May still choose. Single spend, all day.
*Advanced Scouting: long-distance Tracking; auto-discover unconcealed points of interest; take 15 on perception checks to discover concealed points of interest, or auto-roll for the latter (guide's choice). Single spend, all day.
*Map the Area: No need for Route Planning when moving through this area again. Map also details known camp locations, and any discovered points of interest. If you are Untrained and fail your Travel Check, you may not purchase this Activity. If you are trained and fail your Travel Check, you must succeed at a separate Sense Direction check to purchase this activity. Single spend.
*Make Life Interesting: roll another encounter. The group gains 1 brass soul coin, +1 brass soul coin for each character that rolls a critical success or critical failure during encounter. Spend no more than 2. (ie. add afternoon and night encounters).
*Curious Scouting: The miscellaneous catch-all scouting activity. This covers any kind of travel-based information gathering NOT covered above. In particular, this isn't just looking for unusual locations, enemies or events (that is Advanced Scouting), nor trying to anticipate or control any potential encounters (that's Forward Scouting), nor probing the area with spells as you travel (that's Affect Senses). Details and effects to be determined by the Players and Gamemaster.
7. After all points are spent; resolve all events/encounters.
