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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Nytmare" data-source="post: 5071662" data-attributes="member: 55178">My current group hasn't had to tackle real overland travel yet, but we've talked about it quite a bit.First off we're imagining that "overland travel mode" will involve treating all daily powers and any resource that normally gets replenished with an extended rest as a "you get them back the next time we play" thing.Then, depending on what kind of overland travel we're talking about I could easily see running it as a skill challenge (though as a warning, I run skill challenges ala Obsidian.)My challenges tend to fall into the following framework: 3 acts, each act has 3 outcomes (good, bad, and ugly) and each act basically lands the characters in the same general place, just under different circumstances.  As an example, let's pretend that our heroes are trying to track down a forgotten relic tucked away in a hidden temple before a cult of ne'er-do-wells find it and bring about the end of the world.  Act I gets things moving, feeds the first bits of information to the players, and sets the tone for the overall challenge.  The players find out about the temple and kick things off by digging around the city, researching, and asking questions.Good - The players find out about the cult and uncover and foil a plot to princess-nap the princess.  They find out about the cult's plans for the relic and rush off to stop them.  They get a bonus to rolls in the second act. Bad - Egads! During dinner, cultists try to nab the princess and there's a fight.  If they stop them, they find out about the relic and temple, if they don't stop them, they must rush off to rescue her from certain doom. Ugly - Too late!  While you weren't paying attention, cultists have kidnapped the princess and have dragged her off to the temple to be sacrificed! Act II is an obstacle that gets in everybody's way on the way to act III.  The cultists have summoned a gibbering fiend and let it loose in the valley to kill our heroes.  Players can stop and fight it if they want, but time is short and they need to get to the artifact before the cultists.Good - The characters manage to hide from/outwit/outrun the monster.  Maybe they find a way to even turn it against the cultists.  Regardless, they move onwards unscathed. Bad - They escape the monster but get pinned down or lost and lose precious time.  The exertion in trying to make up that time requires that everyone make an endurance check or they lose a healing surge. Ugly - Yikes a fight!  A big scary monster and a bunch of cultists, oh no!  When it's all settled and done, they move on to act III, but if they didn't finish the fight in X rounds they have penalties to their rolls because of lost time. Finally, act III, the final race to the temple.  Athletics, endurance, and nature checks for the final push.  Good - Our heroes must have found a super secret shortcut, cause they beat the cultists to the temple. They can set an ambush if they want, or push onward into the temple and try to get the relic.  Bad  - The cultists got there first, already have the relic, and are halfway through the ritual that summons the Giant Spaghetti Monster. Ugly - Cuthulhu eats 1d6 investigators per round. </blockquote>

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