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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Imaro" data-source="post: 5498670" data-attributes="member: 48965"> Ok, I'm at work so I can't go into a great amount of detail, but let's first look at the facts of this encounter... The landscape is swampy river country... thus swamp land, a river crossing or two and any monsters/NPC's who inhabit this environment would be the main obstacles I have at my disposal to create this part of my adventure. The consequences for whatever obstacles I have set up according to your statement above are exhaustion and/or trouble getting rest (though personally I would have also thrown in sickness due to the conditions of a swamp, but whatever). So let's look at some of the mechanical conditions we could use to simulate this... 1. Fatigued: character can neither run nor <a href="http://www.d20pfsrd.com/gamemastering/combat#TOC-Charge" target="_blank">charge</a> and takes a –2 penalty to <a href="http://www.d20pfsrd.com/basics-ability-scores/ability-scores#TOC-Strength-Str-" target="_blank">Strength</a> and <a href="http://www.d20pfsrd.com/basics-ability-scores/ability-scores#TOC-Dexterity-Dex-" target="_blank">Dexterity</a>. Doing anything that would normally cause fatigue causes the fatigued character to become exhausted. After 8 hours of complete rest, fatigued characters are no longer fatigued.2. Exhausted: character moves at half speed, cannot run or <a href="http://www.d20pfsrd.com/gamemastering/combat#TOC-Charge" target="_blank">charge</a>, and takes a –6 penalty to <a href="http://www.d20pfsrd.com/basics-ability-scores/ability-scores#TOC-Strength-Str-" target="_blank">Strength</a> and <a href="http://www.d20pfsrd.com/basics-ability-scores/ability-scores#TOC-Dexterity-Dex-" target="_blank">Dexterity</a>.After 1 hour of complete rest, an exhausted character becomes fatigued. A fatigued character becomes exhausted by doing something else that would normally cause <a href="http://www.d20pfsrd.com/gamemastering/conditions#TOC-Fatigued" target="_blank">fatigue</a>.3. Hit Points: Loss of hit points can also be used as consequence of a character being exhausted or not resting properly.4. Temporary Ability Damage: Loss of both mental and physical capability could also simulate exhaustion. Ok, I think those are enough conditions since this isn’t suppose to be a detailed or in-depth encounter but a quick overland travel scenario to get to wherever they are going. Now let’s construct my scenario. I think 3 non-combat challenges and one combat challenge will round this out nicely. 1st encounter: “Across the Swamp Lands.”: The purpose of this encounter is to simulate travel across the first half of the PC’s journey. The scenario is described for the PC’s with the conflict being a landscape of that they must cross. The PC’s roll for initiative and are then asked, in order, to describe what action or actions concerning this part of the journey their PC’s will make to cross here. The consequences of failure, for any particular PC’s actions, will be tied to one of the above conditions (based on the circumstances) of their particular failure. 2nd encounter: “The River”: This encounter is centered on crossing a strong running river at the halfway point between the beginning of the swamps and the end of the PC’s journey. Again, the scenario is described and the PC’s are asked how they will go about crossing the river. Failure to cross the river results in the PC’s being soaked and suffering the fatigued condition (or the exhausted condition if they are already fatigued) on top of whatever condition they may have gained from the previous encounter (rising crescendo!!). 3rd encounter: “The Hermit’s Hut”: This encounter is a chance for the PC’s to rest and recuperate from the previous encounters. They come upon a small hut inhabited by a slightly eccentric hermit. The hut would provide a warm and dry place to rest but the PC’s must convince, bully, or cajole the hermit into letting them stay. There are also natural materials here that can be used to construct a makeshift shelter if sought out by a PC. If the PC’s do not get adequate rest they suffer the consequences (no healing/no removal of conditons). This is either a comeback for the heroes (removal of conditions), or it highlights the dangers they must face (they must preservere through the adversity)... of course I could shape it either way with a little fudging to portray appropriate themes and narrative structure.  4th encounter: “Bandit Attack”: As the PC’s near their destination, unless they are cautious and aware they are set upon by a pack of bandits who prey upon those emerging from the swamps. This is a combat encounter (an easy encounter) and the effects of any conditions still attached to the characters apply in this battle. This is the climax as PC’s battle, avoid or talk their way out of a confrontation after having survived the swamps. It also showcases the consequences of their actions in the swamp in a visceral manner. (Climax of this part of the adventure.)</blockquote>

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