5e Artisanal Database → Level Up Advanced 5e → Exploration

Markdown

Exploration

The Journey

At the heart of exploration is the journey, or the story that happens while the adventurers travel from origin to destination – surviving the elements, discovering new places, and overcoming the obstacles presented by the environment.

Before a journey, the party sets their travel pace, or how fast they'd like to go. The Narrator determines the difficulty of the journey itself and the number of encounters the adventurers have on the journey. Some encounters might be a fight against one or more monsters or happening across other travelers, but they'll also have to contend with the world itself in exploration challenges.

Navigation

When the adventurers have a map (see Survival Gear) there is little chance of them getting lost. The mystery lies in the time it takes them to reach their destination, and the challenges that they face along the way. Without a map, adventurers always know which region (see below) they are in, but are not usually aware of adjacent regions (unless one of them takes the Scout journey activity). They can journey from region to region, making choices along the way – for example, the party might be in Rolling Grasslands, and need to decide between hiking Lofty Mountains or chancing a Feywood as their next step before finally reaching some safe Open Roads leading to their destination.

Travel Pace

Adventurers can travel at a normal, fast, or slow pace, which determines the distance they cover in a day of travel (see Table: Travel Pace). While a fast pace might shorten the time required for a journey, moving so quickly makes travelers less aware of the dangers around them. Likewise, a steadier slow pace prolongs a journey but adventurers can stay alert, cover their tracks, and move more stealthily. The effects from traveling faster than a slow pace are cumulative.

Fatigue. Creatures suffering from two or more levels of fatigue cannot travel faster than at a normal pace. Creatures suffering from three or more levels of fatigue cannot travel faster than at a slow pace. Creatures suffering from four or more levels of fatigue cannot travel faster than a crawl.

Travel Pace Table

A mount can only travel at gallop speed for 1 hour each day. Otherwise, it travels at the fast/mounted pace.

Forced March

Adventurers on a journey can travel for up to 8 hours in a day before requiring a long rest to reinvigorate themselves and continue – any further and they may exhaust themselves. For every additional hour of travel past 8 hours, an adventurer makes a Constitution saving throw at the end of the hour (DC 10 + the number of additional hours of travel), suffering a level of fatigue on a failure. The party can set the pace, increasing the DC of the saving throw for a normal pace (+1) or fast/mounted pace (+2).

Mounts and Pack Animals

Mounts such as riding horses can only travel for about an hour a day at the gallop pace listed in Table: Travel Pace. While mounts and pack animals may be useful on a journey, they are also a responsibility each mount requires its own Supply, may have difficulty traveling in different kinds of environments, and can become a liability during certain exploration challenges. For example, it may be difficult to lead a mount through a swampy area or have it traverse a landslide.

Resting and Havens

While on a journey, adventurers are only able to recover from 2 or more levels of fatigue or strife on a long rest when they have access to a haven. A haven is a place to get a meal and a full night's sleep without the reasonable risk of attack or harm from the elements. For example, an inn is considered a haven, but a campsite where adventurers must take turns keeping watch through the night is not. Some spells and class features may create havens.

Tracking Supply

Mundane consumable items like food and water are simplified into a single item called Supply. When an adventurer gains access to food and water, they can add Supply to their inventory. Basic rations (dry food and water) usually costs 5 silver for 1 Supply, but finer foods may cost more.

When adventurers run out of Supply while journeying, they can access more in a few ways. Some journey activities allow adventurers to forage for more food and water. Boons and discoveries, which are common rewards for exploration challenges, may lead to more Supply. As a last resort, the party may need to take a detour to the nearest town, find a wandering merchant, or even abandon the journey and head home.

Vehicles

Not all travel is done by foot or hoof. Vehicles are used by many adventurers to help travel the vast distances of the world.

Land Vehicles. Wagons and carts are unable to go faster than a slow pace, but some land vehicles can choose at which pace to move. Stealth cannot be used while journeying in a land vehicle, and they require a DC 13 land vehicle check every day spent traveling at a fast pace. On a failure, the vehicle suffers a malfunction.

Water Vehicles. Water vehicles are restricted by the speed of the vehicle and gain no benefits from a slow pace, but have no penalties for moving at a fast pace. Depending on the vehicle and crew size, a ship can travel up to 24 hours a day.

Regions

A region is an area of the world, defined geographically by its physical features. It might be a vast forest or a sandy desert; or it might be a snow-tipped mountain range or a stretch of underground caverns. Regions are often – but not always – named areas on the map. Regions are important building blocks of the world, and each region has its own properties and encounter tables. Later in this chapter are some common regions for Narrators to use.

Combined Regions. Sometimes an area on the map might fit the description of more than one region. The Narrator may choose either region, combine both, or create a new region.

Terrains. A region can have more than one kind of terrain and those listed are general suggestions for the most common types to be found there. Ultimately the types of terrain in a region are at the Narrator's discretion and the needs of the campaign.

Regions and Tiers. Each region on the map is designated with a tier (from 0–4) which corresponds with the adventuring tiers of play. Any region can be any tier.

A region's tier determines the difficulty of the challenges encountered within. Exploration and monster encounter tables are all categorized by tier, making it easy to select tier-relevant encounters. Of course, exceptions can and do exist, and a powerful monster can wander into a low-tier region, but such an occurrence is not typical of that region and is usually used as the subject of an adventure rather than a random encounter.

It should be noted that it is possible for a low-level party to wander into a region too dangerous for them. The Narrator should provide clues to the danger level and – where appropriate – allow for some means of escape should the adventurers find themselves in over their heads.

Party-Appropriate Challenges. In some games the Narrator may prefer not to designate regions with a default tier, and instead present the adventurers with encounters and challenges appropriate for their level.

Weather

Each region contains a short list of randomly generated weather options. These are generally limited to non-extreme weather conditions, including clear, overcast, mist, rain, and snow, and are purely descriptive tools to help the Narrator set the scene – they do not affect the adventurers. More extreme weather events are treated as exploration challenges (see page 106) and include phenomena like blizzards, dense fogs, hail storms, sandstorms, tornados, thunderstorms, and more.

Roll a d20 for weather once for each region. In the winter season, add 5 to the roll, unless the region is in a notably warm or tropical clime. Occasionally, exploration challenges result in extreme weather events. These include the following.

Encounters

Each region the adventurers travel through will include one or more encounters. The Narrator decides how many encounters the party has.

Encounters include four categories: exploration challenges, monsters, social encounters, and scenery. It is important that the players do not know which type of encounter they've stumbled into – it should be introduced to them narratively. That chill feeling might be mere scenery, but it might be the sign of some kind of undead spirit, or it might foreshadow a weather event.

Each region presents encounter tables which include all four encounter types. The Narrator can roll on these tables, choose an option, or introduce something new.

Along a journey the Narrator should employ a mix of combat encounters, social encounters, exploration challenges, and scenery. Exploration challenges, which are detailed later, have assigned tiers and challenge ratings that correspond to adventurers' levels. It is assumed that high-level adventurers are able to pass tier 1 exploration challenges without much effort, but a tier 4 exploration challenge poses a major threat.

Ultimately how many encounters adventurers have while traveling is at the discretion of the Narrator, but in general it's recommended that the party has at least one encounter (combat, exploration, or social) in every region they journey through to make it memorable. Some regions are going to have more encounters than other regions – either because they are tumultuous, the area plays an important part in the campaign, or they are large in size – and the types of encounters the party might have in a given region are listed in its Exploring table. Depending on the needs of the game and campaign setting, the types of encounters, frequency of encounters, and difficulty of certain journey activities might be different.

Journey Activities

Adventurers have the option to participate in activities while traveling in order to pick up some extra resources, improve the conditions of their journey, or learn more about the world around them.

Difficulty Class. The DC of a journey activity is based on the region's tier:

Depending on the region, some journey activities are made with either advantage or disadvantage.

Experienced Travelers. The Busk and Rob journey activities are most profitable for novice adventurers, but experienced travelers can sometimes pick out a mark carrying confidential materials instead of gold, and nobles seek out performers of note wherever they might be. Additionally, when an adventurer is attempting to gather a specific component of 100 gold or less with Gather Components, they can roll with disadvantage, finding it on a success.

Modifying DC. The Narrator can raise the DC on a journey activity based on extenuating circumstances. Here are some suggestions for modifying a journey activity's difficulty class:

Adventurers choose how long (in days) to engage in an activity, making a single check for that duration, and many activities grant additional rewards based on the time spent doing them. For example, when using the Busk activity, a PC gains gold for each day they perform that activity. An adventurer is free to divide their travel across a region into different activities, performing each for a number of days. When determining how many days the adventurer is undertaking an activity for, count the total number of days and roll once, even if those days are not consecutive. When to make a check for a journey activity is determined by what region it is made in and otherwise at the Narrator's discretion.

Adventurers usually choose one journey activity for the entire region, and many activities grant additional rewards based on the time spent doing them. For example, when using the Busk activity, a PC gains gold for each day they perform that activity. The number of days spent is determined by the size of the region and the party\'s travel speed.

When making an ability check for a journey activity, the check is made at the start of the region. An adventurer may achieve a success or a failure, or a critical success or a critical failure, each with a different outcome which applies while the party remains in that region.

Befriend Animal

An adventurer can make friends with a wild animal (a beast with a challenge rating equal to or less than 1/3rd the party's total level) by succeeding on an Animal Handling check.

Critical Failure. The adventurer scares or angers the animal, which attacks them.

Failure. The adventurer is unable to befriend the animal.

Success. The adventurer befriends one animal. The animal follows the party through the region until it spots danger. Adventurers can assume that when the animal runs off that something dangerous is following them or hidden nearby. The adventurer who befriended the creature can then make a Perception check contested by the hidden creature's Stealth check in order to spot the danger.

Critical Success. As a success, but the animal also leads the adventurer to a Boon or Discovery. Additionally, the adventurer gains advantage on their Perception check to spot a hidden danger. Only one such boon can be gained per region.

Busk

Adventurers can entertain passersby with a successful Acrobatics, Athletics, or Performance check.

Note: To perform this journey activity, the party must be in a populated area such as a Country Shire, Open Roads, or an Urban Township.

Critical Failure. Passersby steal 3d4 gold from the adventurer.

Failure. The adventurer earns no money.

Success. The adventurer gains 1 gold per day of travel plus 1 gold for each point they beat the DC by.

Critical Success. The adventurer gains 2 gold per day of travel plus 1 gold for each point they beat the DC by, and one passerby gifts them with a random magical item worth 50 gold or less. Only one such gift can be earned per region.

Chronicle

An adventurer that spends their time writing down observations of local landmarks, recording various customs, or charting a map can make a History check. The adventurer must spend the entire region undertaking this activity.

Critical Failure. The adventurer slips, falls, or otherwise bumbles during the journey, destroying their journaling scrolls or the book they were writing in.

Failure. The adventurer fails to record anything of note or value.

Success. The adventurer gains an expertise die on current or future History or Survival checks made within or about the region.

Critical Success. As a success, and the adventurer discovers a Boon or Discovery about the region. Only one such boon can be gained per region.

Cook

By acting as the party's cook and quartermaster, with a cook's utensils or Survival check an adventurer can help ensure that everybody remains fed.

Critical Failure. For every two creatures being fed, the Supply requirement to feed them is increased by 1 Supply.

Failure. The cooking is adequate, but has no special effects.

Success.The daily Supply requirement to feed the party is reduced by one-quarter (round down to a minimum of 1 Supply) up to a maximum number of creatures equal to twice the adventurer's proficiency bonus.

Critical Success. As a success, and each creature being fed gains one additional hit die to spend on each day they are fed by the adventurer.

Cover Tracks

While moving at a slow pace, an adventurer can cover the party's tracks with a Survival check so that it is harder for pursuers to follow. The adventurer's Survival check result is the DC for any pursuer's Survival check to track them.

Critical Failure. The party leaves an obvious trail, and their pursuers gain a day's worth of travel covering the distance between them for each day spent doing this journey activity.

Failure. The party leaves a trail, and their pursuers continue to harass them.

Success. The party manages to put an extra day between themselves and their pursuers for each day spent doing this journey activity.

Critical Success. The party lose their pursuers.

Entertain

With a successful Performance check an adventurer can help keep the party's spirits high. Each party member can only benefit from this journey activity once per week.

Critical Failure. The adventurer's performance is so bad that the party gains a level of strife.

Failure. The party is not entertained.

Success. The first time the adventurer or an ally, up to a number of creatures equal to the adventurer\'s proficiency bonus, would suffer a level of strife, they do not. When there is more than one member of the party that can benefit from this journey activity (like when the entire party makes saving throws against strife at the same time), the adventurer that performed chooses who benefits.

Critical Success. The adventurer and any allies each recover one level of fatigue or strife. This benefit can only be gained by each adventurer once per week.

Gather Components

Adventurers that gather supplies useful for the material components of spellcasting can make an Arcana or Nature check.

Critical Failure. The adventurer accidentally picks components about to decay or rot, destroying 1d4 gold worth of their own material components before realizing it.

Failure. The adventurer finds no components.

Success. The adventurer finds 1d4 gold worth of components per day, plus 1 gold worth of components for each point they beat the DC by.

Critical Success. The adventurer finds 2d4 gold worth of components per day, plus 1 gold worth of components for each point they beat the DC by.

Gossip

Success on an Investigation or Persuasion check tells an adventurer the local news and rumors.

Critical Failure. The party learns a false rumor.

Failure. The party gains no rumor.

Success. For each day spent doing this journey activity, the Narrator reveals an engaging rumor or tidbit that could lead the party on a new sidequest or support the main plot of the campaign.

Critical Success. As a success, and local gossip leads the party to a Boon or Discovery.

Harvest

An adventurer that succeeds on a Medicine or Nature check finds plants to refill a healer's satchel.

Critical Failure. The adventurer accidentally picks plants about to decay or rot, destroying 1 use of their healer's satchel before realizing it.

Failure. The adventurer finds no plants.

Success. The adventurer finds plants to refill 1 use of a healer's satchel for each day spent doing this journey activity.

Critical Success. As a success, and the adventurer finds plants which duplicate the effects of a potion of healing. This benefit can only be gained once per week.

Alternatively, an adventurer can choose to make an herbalism kit check or poisoner's kit check.

Hunt and Gather

It's often fruitful for an adventurer to track and kill game, or forage for food and water, along the road with a Survival check.

Critical Failure. The adventurer gains toxic Supply, and the entire party suffers a level of fatigue.

Failure. The adventurer gains no Supply.

Success. The adventurer gains 1 Supply per day spent doing this journey activity.

Critical Success. The adventurer gains double the Supply.

Pray

While traveling many choose to connect with deities and spirits. An adventurer makes a Religion check.

Critical Failure. The gods are displeased. Each party member discovers that 1 Supply has spoiled.

Failure. The gods do not listen.

Success. The entire party gains advantage to one ability check or attack made while within this region, and the gods lead the adventurer to a Boon or Discovery.

Critical Success. The entire party gains an expertise die on their next ability checks made in this region, and the gods lead the adventurer to a Boon or Discovery.

Rob

Adventurers can force others into handing over their coins with a successful Intimidation check, or pickpocket travelers with a successful Sleight of Hand check. To perform this journey activity, the party must be in a populated area such as a Country Shire, Open Roads, or Urban Township. This journey activity usually takes a week to complete.

Critical Failure. A potential victim turns out to be a rival adventuring party of similar capabilities and a fight ensues.

Failure. No gold is gained.

Success. The adventurer gains 1d8 gold per week of travel. When this journey activity is done in fewer than 7 days, the adventurer instead gains half as much gold (minimum 1 gold).

Critical Success. As a success, and the adventurer gains a magic item worth 100 gold or less. This benefit can only be gained once per region.

Scout

An adventurer roams at a distance from the party, making a Perception check seeking vantage points to look ahead. This journey activity may only be performed once per region.

Note: This journey activity may only be performed once per region.

Critical Failure. The adventurer gets lost and suffers a level of fatigue before returning to the party.

Failure. The adventurer learns nothing useful.

Success. The party automatically learns which regions adjoin the current region. Additionally, the party gains advantage on Perception checks made against any attempts to surprise or ambush them while journeying through this region.

Critical Success. As a success, and the adventurer finds a handy path. The party gains half a day's travel for each day spent doing this journey activity.

Track

A designated tracker can ensure that the party remains on the trail of their prey with a Survival check. This check is opposed by the Survival check of the creature being tracked if it is attempting to hide its tracks, or the region's journey activity DC if it is not.

Critical Failure. The party loses their prey.

Failure. The party falls back an extra day between themselves and their prey for each day spent doing this journey activity.

Success. The party continues to follow their prey.

Critical Success. The adventurer finds an obvious trail, and the party gains a day's worth of travel covering the distance between them and their prey for each day spent doing this journey activity.

In some campaigns the wilderness is just the gap between dungeons and plot points, and in others battling against the elements and nature is a major focus. Consider the following two alternate methods of supply tracking to better fit the campaign:

Casual Supplies. These rules are best used in adventures where surviving the elements is not a major theme.

Desperate Supplies. Adventures where wilderness survival is the primary theme are best served with these rules.

Regions

Blasted Badlands

These deserts are notorious for their many capricious ruins, the devastated landscape the biggest mark left upon the world by the forgotten civilizations that once flourished there. Monsters aplenty roam the wastes as well, so adventurers journeying through it encounter many creatures and constructed terrain exploration challenges.

Terrains. Desert, laboratory, mountains, ruins, subterranean, swamp, temple, tomb.

Tiers. Blasted Badlands tend to be tier 2 and above.

Weather. 1–10 clear, 11–25 overcast.

Journey Activities. Adventurers gain advantage on checks made to Scout, but disadvantage on checks made to Befriend Animal, Gossip, and Rob. It is not possible to Busk, Harvest, or Hunt and Gather.

Blasted Badlands Exploring Tier 0

G: On an odd result, use the giant version of this creature.

Blasted Badlands Exploring Tier 1

Blasted Badlands Exploring Tier 2

G: On an odd result, use the giant version of this creature instead.

TABLE: BLASTED BADLANDS - EXPLORING TIER 3

TABLE: BLASTED BADLANDS - EXPLORING TIER 4

Country Shire

Small villages and rural communities, often surrounded by a patchwork of farms, make for a safe and cozy existence with the most threatening events involving an angry bear harassing livestock. Adventurers journeying through this region can expect little danger, and a high number of social encounters.

Terrains. Forest, grassland, hills, settlement, subterranean, swamp, temple.

Tiers. Country Shires are usually tier 0 or tier 1 regions. Often used as the starting area in a campaign, it would be unusual to find tier 3 or 4 country shires.

Weather. 1–8 clear, 9–12 overcast, 13–16 rain, 17–19 mist, 20–25 snow.

Friendly Locals. Adventurers gain an expertise die on Charisma checks made against people local to the region.

Haven. The whole of this area counts as a haven. Travelers can always recover from fatigue and strife when taking a long rest, even when camping.

Journey Activities. Adventurers gain advantage on checks made to Busk, Chronicle, Gossip, Harvest, and Rob.

Table: Country Shire - Exploring Tier 1

Table: Country Shire - Exploring Tier 2

Table: Country Shire - Exploring Tier 3

Table: Country Shire - Exploring Tier 4

Feywood

Home to faeries, sprites, dryads, nymphs, satyrs, and other fey, the animals in this forest are bold and only foolish travelers fail to respect nature as they go along their way. Adventurers journeying through regions like this contend with frequent combat encounters, social encounters, and natural terrain and supernatural exploration challenges.

Terrains. Forest, grassland, hills, jungle, mountains, ruins, settlement, subterranean, swamp, temple, tomb.

Tiers. Feywoods often range from tier 1 through tier 4. While a tier 1 Feywood presents little danger other than from wildlife and the occasional faeries, a tier 4 Feywood might be a dangerous plane like the Dreaming, or the domain of an ancient green dragon.

Weather. 1–15 clear, 16–19 mist, 20–25 rain.

Fey Promises. When an adventurer breaks a promise made in a Feywood they suffer a level of strife.

Natural Camouflage. Adventurers gain an expertise die on Stealth checks.

Journey Activities. When making a check to Harvest or to Hunt and Gather, an adventurer rolls with advantage.

Feywood Exploring Encounters

Tier 0

Tier 1

Tier 2

Tier 3

Tier 4

Fiery Hellscape

From active volcanoes to the hottest layers of Hell, these regions are dominated by red-hot lava flows and flaming geysers. Adventurers journeying through these regions can expect to encounter many natural terrain challenges and dangerous creatures.

Terrains. Desert, laboratory, mountains, ruins, subterranean, temple, tomb.

Tiers. These regions lend themselves towards danger and are usually tier 3 or tier 4. A higher tier Fiery Hellscape might be found on a plane of elemental fire or the volcanic domain of a red dragon. Lower tier versions of these regions are rare, but might be found naturally occurring in some places.

Weather. Uncomfortably warm.

Hot. Traveling at faster than a slow pace is dangerous in the region's hot temperatures, and adventurers that do so suffer a level of fatigue when taking a long rest (even if they have Supply). The use of appropriate mounts (such as camels) and keeping a light pack (less than half carrying capacity) allow for adventurers to travel as fast as a normal pace without suffering fatigue during a long rest.

Unquenchable Thirst. Twice the usual amount of Supply is required when taking a long rest.

Journey Activities. Checks to Harvest or Hunt and Gather are made at disadvantage. It is not possible to Busk. Here are the encounters formatted as a markdown list:

TIER 0 - Fiery Hellscape

Note: On an odd result, use the giant version of the creature instead.

TIER 1 - Fiery Hellscape

TIER 2 - Fiery Hellscape

TIER 3 - Fiery Hellscape

TIER 4 - Fiery Hellscape

Flowing River

Rivers can provide a convenient and fast way to travel. Encounters are less frequent, and the journey is less arduous.

Terrains. Any; most river regions extend from at least one region into one or more other regions.

Tiers. It's unusual (although not impossible) for rivers to be above tier 2.

Weather. 1–8 clear, 9–12 overcast, 13–16 rain, 17–19 mist, 20–25 snow.

Vehicles. Adventurers move at the speed of their water vehicles.

Journey Activities. Adventurers gain advantage on Survival checks made to Hunt and Gather due to abundant fishing opportunities. Checks made to Hide Tracks automatically succeed, and those made to Track automatically fail. It is not possible to Busk.

Tier 0

Tier 1

Tier 2

Tier 3

Tier 4

Frozen Wastes

Endless fields of white and imposing mountains stretching towards the sky fill this icy land, and though it is rather devoid of life it is a place of great peril. Adventurers journeying through this region have to overcome many natural terrain and weather event exploration challenges, and perhaps a few combat or social encounters.

Terrains. Arctic, hills, mountains, ruins, subterranean, temple, tomb, water.

Tiers. Arctic-like tundra can range from tier 2 to tier 4 depending on the severity of its climate.

Weather. 1–6 clear, 7–12 overcast, 13–25 snow.

Chilly. Without the proper gear or magic to survive the cold temperatures (see Survival Gear), an adventurer suffers a level of fatigue when taking a long rest in this environment (even if it has Supply).

Journey Activities. Adventurers gain advantage on Survival checks made to find a target using tracks left in the snow. Checks made to hide tracks have disadvantage. It is not possible to Busk.

Tier 0

Tier 1

Tier 2

Tier 3

Tier 4

Haunted Lands

Settlements that have suffered a curse, or areas which are home to powerful undead beings, typically have effects that spread far from the source bringing woe to the people living nearby and attracting prowling monsters and ominous signs. Adventurers journeying through regions like this have plenty of combat encounters, some social encounters, and many circumstance or supernatural exploration challenges.

Terrains. Any.

Tiers. Haunted lands are often higher tier areas. The corrupted realm surrounding a dread knight's castle or a county ruled over by a sinister vampire would likely be tier 3 or higher.

Weather. 1–5 clear, 6–10 overcast, 11–15 foggy, 16–25 rain.

Bleak Light. All light sources illuminate only half the area they would normally cover.

Night Terrors. It is difficult to get a restful night's sleep in this area. Adventurers make a Wisdom saving throw against the region's journey activity DC when taking a long rest or suffer a level of strife.

Suspicious Minds. The people who inhabit this area are wary and suspicious of strangers. Adventurers have disadvantage on Charisma checks made against people local to the region.

Journey Activities. The Entertain activity is made with disadvantage. The Pray activity is made with disadvantage if your deity has the Good alignment.

Tier 0

Tier 1

Tier 2

Tier 3

Tier 4

Lofty Mountains

Legends from all over the realm speak of remote passes, cataclysmic conflicts and relics of fell power within the ancient ruins of temples to defeated evils, the graves of terrible warlords, and sites of unspeakable rituals. Adventurers journeying through this region have few social encounters, a moderate amount of combat encounters, and many constructed terrain, natural terrain, and supernatural exploration challenges.

Terrains. Arctic, hills, jungle, mountains, ruins, settlement, subterranean, temple, tomb.

Tiers. Idyllic mountain ranges might be tier 1, while cliffs and crags ruled over by an ancient dragon would be tier 4.

Weather. 1–8 clear, 9–12 overcast, 13–16 mist, 17–18 rain, 19–25 snow.

Climbable. The terrain offers numerous footholds and pitted surfaces. Adventurers gain an expertise die on checks made to climb.

High Altitude. Breathing air gets harder at altitudes of 10,000 feet or higher above sea level, and adventurers not used to the reduced oxygen tire easily. Every hour spent traveling at high altitude counts as 2 hours of travel for the purposes of travel pace. For example, after 4 hours of travel a creature makes forced march checks every half hour.

After spending 30 days or longer at high altitude an adventurer becomes acclimated to it and can travel normally. Altitudes above 20,000 feet can only be acclimated to by creatures native to the environment.

Mountsbane. Travel time is doubled for mounts and pack animals.

Tier 0

Tier 1

Tier 2

Tier 3

Tier 4

Open Roads

Well-traveled roads with wide tracks, and plentiful inns, villages, and other stopping points along the way make some journeys less arduous than others. Adventurers journeying along country roads have many social encounters, combat encounters with NPCs or the occasional wild beast, and circumstance and constructed terrain exploration challenges.

Terrains. Any; most road regions extend from at least one region into one or more other regions.

Tiers. It's unusual (although not impossible) for open roads to be above tier 2.

Weather. 1–8 clear, 9–12 overcast, 13–16 rain, 17–19 mist, 20–25 snow.

Fast Travel. Adventurers move one mile per hour faster when traveling along open roads.

Tier 0 Encounters

Open Roads - Exploring Tier 1 Encounters

Open Roads - Exploring Tier 2 Encounters

Open Roads - Exploring Tier 3 Encounters

Open Roads - Exploring Tier 4 Encounters

Parched Sands

Endless dunes and the baking sun make these deserts difficult and dangerous places in which to survive. Adventurers journeying through this region have very few social encounters.

Terrains. Desert, grassland, hills, mountains, ruins, settlement, subterranean, temple, tomb.

Tiers. A desert region with numerous oases might be tier 1, but most are tier 2 or higher.

Weather. 1–25 clear.

Hot. Traveling at faster than a slow pace is dangerous in the region's hot temperatures, and adventurers that do so suffer a level of fatigue when taking a long rest (even if they have Supply). The use of appropriate mounts (such as camels) and keeping a light pack (less than half carrying capacity) allow for adventurers to travel as fast as a normal pace without suffering fatigue during a long rest.

Unquenchable Thirst. Twice the usual amount of Supply is required when taking a long rest.

Journey Activities. It is not possible to Busk. Checks to Harvest or Hunt and Gather are made at disadvantage.

Tier 0

Tier 1

Tier 2

Tier 3

Tier 4

Restless Sea

Rapid currents and quick trade routes make these waters popular with merchants, but only the bravest and most skilled sailors are willing to chance the frequent, dangerous, and unpredictable waves. Adventurers journeying through this region or along its coast have to overcome an unusually high number of weather event exploration challenges, as well as some combat encounters and social encounters.

Terrains. Coast, water.

Tiers. Regions with calm waters might be tier 1, but most adventurous seas are tier 2 or tier 3.

Weather. 1–7 clear, 8–11 overcast, 12–16 rain, 17–25 mist.

Rolling Mists. Adventurers gain an expertise die on Stealth checks if the weather is not clear.

Thick Fog. Without the sight of natural landmarks to guide them, adventurers have disadvantage on checks made to navigate the area if the weather is not clear.

Journey Activities. Adventurers have disadvantage on checks made to Scout. Busking is possible on coastlines, but not the open sea. Checks made to Hide Tracks on the open sea automatically succeed, and those made to Track automatically fail. Checks to Hunt and Gather are made with advantage.

Tier 0 Encounters

Tier 1 Encounters

Tier 2 Encounters

Tier 3 Encounters

Tier 4 Encounters

Rolling Grasslands

There is great prosperity among the people that call these fields and rolling hills home. Adventurers journeying through this region have frequent social encounters, few combat encounters, and several circumstance exploration challenges.

Terrains. Grassland, hills, ruins, settlement, subterranean, temple, tomb.

Tiers. These plains and hills tend to be tier 1 and 2 regions, with threats from bandits, goblin tribes, or wild animals.

Weather. 1–8 clear, 9–12 overcast, 13–16 rain, 17–19 mist, 20–25 snow.

Journey Activities. Adventurers gain advantage on checks made to Chronicle, Gossip, Harvest, and Rob.

Tier 0

Tier 1

Tier 2

Tier 3

Tier 4

Tangled Forest

From temperate forests and woodlands which harbor bandit encampments to lush tropical jungles home to giant apes and mighty dinosaurs, these regions are covered with trees and undergrowth. Adventurers journeying through regions like this contend with frequent monster encounters and natural terrain and supernatural exploration challenges.

Terrains. Forest, jungle, mountains, ruins, settlement, subterranean, swamp, temple, tomb.

Tiers. Tangled forests often range from tier 1 through tier 4. At tier 1, a Tangled Forest might be the forest home of a band of outlaws or bandits, while higher tiers might feature dinosaurs, dragons, giant insects, and ancient traps.

Weather. 1–6 clear, 7–14 mist, 15–20 rain, 21–25 snow.

Heavy Undergrowth. Ranged attacks beyond 15 feet are made with disadvantage.

Natural Camouflage. Adventurers gain an expertise die on Stealth checks.

Journey Activities. Adventurers gain advantage on checks made to Harvest or to Hunt and Gather.

Tier 0

Tier 1

Tier 2

Tier 3

Tier 4

Urban Township

From mighty sprawling cities to smaller bustling towns, these areas are full of people–and more people means more accidents, more conflict, and more action. Adventurers journeying through urban areas have many social encounters, combat encounters against NPCs, and both circumstance and constructed terrain exploration challenges.

Terrains. Settlement, sewer, temple.

Tiers. Metropolises can be as high as tier 4 and small towns as low as tier 1.

Weather. 1–8 clear, 9–12 overcast, 13–16 rain, 17–19 mist, 20–25 snow.

Breakable Surroundings. A critical failure on a Strength or Dexterity check results in destruction of property, angering the owner of said property.

Journey Activities. Adventurers gain an expertise die on checks made to Busk or Rob.

Tier 0 Encounters

Urban Township Exploring Tier 1 Encounters

Urban Township Exploring Tier 2 Encounters

Urban Township Realm Exploring Tier 3 Encounters

Urban Township Exploring Tier 4 Encounters

Underland Realm

There is no map–even among the subterranean cultures that dwell within–that accurately depicts all of these enormous tunnels, which range from natural caverns and dwarven mines to shadow elf cities. Adventurers journeying through this region have combat encounters, some social encounters, and many constructed terrain, natural terrain, and supernatural exploration challenges.

Terrains. Forest, jungle, laboratory, ruins, settlement, subterranean, swamp, temple, tomb, water.

Tiers. It's unusual for these regions to be less than tier 2.

Weather. 1–16 clear, 17–25 mist.

Resonant. Adventurers gain an expertise die on sound-based Perception checks.

Unstable. When an adventurer creates a force that would disturb a non-stoneworked area (an explosion, loud sound, or shaping the structure of the cave through magic), roll 1d20. On a result of 20 the activity causes a cave-in. One passageway in the cave is filled with fallen rocks 20 feet wide.

Here is the conversion into Markdown lists for each tier:

Tier 0

Tier 1

Tier 2

Tier 3

Tier 4

Unrelenting Marsh

So named because time seems to slow to a crawl while traversing its swamps, this area is rife with dangerous predators, lethal fauna, and ground best left untrusted. Adventurers journeying through this region have frequent combat encounters, a few social encounters, and many natural terrain exploration challenges.

Terrains. Forest, grassland, hills, jungle, ruins, settlement, swamp, temple, tomb, water.

Tiers. Swamp regions with friendly inhabitants might be tier 1, but more hostile places (oft ruled over by ancient dragons or worse) can easily be tier 4.

Weather. 1–5 clear, 6–8 overcast, 9–15 rain, 16–25 mist.

Hard to Hoof. Mounts and pack animals are unable to travel at a fast pace or gallop pace. Additionally, wheeled vehicles cannot travel faster than a crawl.

Journey Activities. Plants harvested during a journey activity are typically very rare. Adventurers gain an expertise die on checks made to Harvest, but on a critical failure the plants are carnivorous, and the adventurer suffers one level of fatigue.

Tier 0

Tier 1

Tier 2

Tier 3

Tier 4

Wartorn Kingdom

An occupied nation, or one amidst a civil war, is a dubious place populated with aggressive soldiers, desperate commoners, and merciless opportunists. Adventurers journeying through this region have many social encounters, combat encounters against NPCs, and both circumstance and natural terrain exploration challenges as they navigate the country in conflict.

Terrains. Any.

Tiers. Nascent counties skirmishing against one another might merit tier 1, but when larger nations take umbrage against one another they usually merit being tier 2 or even tier 3.

Weather. 1–8 clear, 9–12 overcast, 13–16 rain, 17–19 mist, 20–25 snow. The Narrator may substitute a weather roll based on the terrain (like rolling a Lofty Mountains weather roll in a Wartorn Kingdom in a mountain range).

Journey Activities. The Busk journey activity is made with disadvantage due to the wary and suspicious nature of other travelers.

Tier 0

Tier 1

Tier 2

Tier 3

Tier 4

Dungeons

Desolate crypts, ancient temples, horrifying tombs, and cursed pyramids are often filled with traps and monsters. Unlike the natural caverns of most of the underland realm, a dungeon is usually constructed and can be above or below ground. Although dungeons aren't regions (so there is no weather or travel scenery, and adventurers don't undertake journey activities in a dungeon) they are filled with random encounters against both traps and monsters, and these areas are ripe with opportunities for exploration!

Terrains. Dungeons can be found everywhere, and depending on their size and location they may have a wide variety of terrains within (though laboratory, ruins, sewer, temple, and tomb are the most common).

Tier. Dungeons range from tier 0 crypts in small villages all the way up to the deadliest tier 4 labyrinths of terror constructed by ancient evils.

Dungeon Exploring Tier 0

Dungeon Exploring Tier 1

Dungeon Exploring Tier 2

Dungeon Exploring Tier 3

Dungeon Exploring Tier 4

Social Encounters

Social encounters can be randomly rolled along with monster encounters and exploration challenges. Individual names and heritages for people met on the road can be chosen or rolled randomly. The Narrator should embellish the encounters as needed, and should feel free to reject any which are not suitable for the current environment.

Random NPC Names

  1. Athur
  2. Bacca
  3. Bertram
  4. Bozur
  5. Daro
  6. Dunk
  7. Erendel
  8. Galan
  9. Hodar
  10. Huebald
  11. Jasmine
  12. Jissard
  13. Kito
  14. Larion
  15. Mara
  16. Naphak
  17. Otto
  18. Perra
  19. Thorne
  20. Theodor

Random NPC Heritage

Unusual NPC Heritage

  1. Bugbear
  2. Centaur
  3. Faerie
  4. Gnoll
  5. Goblin
  6. Hobgoblin
  7. Kobold
  8. Lizardfolk
  9. Lycanthrope
  10. Minotaur
  11. Ogre
  12. Satyr

TABLE: SOCIAL ENCOUNTER

  1. An escaped convict looking for refuge.
  2. A knight looking for her lost love.
  3. A squad of guards who think that the adventurers are evil or ne'er-do-wells.
  4. A noble retinue which demands the party stand aside.
  5. A stranded merchant with a badly damaged wagon they need help repairing.
  6. A dying warrior with a dire warning.
  7. A group of children curious about the way the adventurers look.
  8. A shepherd whose flock is blocking the way.
  9. An apprentice wizard seeking willing participants for testing spells.
  10. A doomsayer preaching an impending apocalypse.
  11. A boastful young squire keen to join the party.
  12. An angry farmer who claims the adventurers are trespassing.
  13. A circus wagon headed to the nearest town.
  14. A wineseller drunk on his own wares.
  15. A procession bearing the corpse of a famous knight home.
  16. A ranger who demands to know the party's identities.
  17. A royal messenger with an urgent missive.
  18. A child who has run away from home.
  19. A bounty hunter tracking elusive prey.
  20. A cheerful bard who won't be quiet.
  21. A noble who takes easy offense and settles things with duels.
  22. A cleric who tries to convert the adventurers to their religion.
  23. A toll station which charges 1 gold per traveler.
  24. A pair of halflings on their own epic quest.
  25. An elderly wizard traveling to a fair where they can display their fireworks.
  26. An elderly villager who has lost something valuable and is desperately searching for it.
  27. A marching army column on its way to or from a battle.
  28. A down-on-their-luck adventurer who tries to sell the party some of their gear.
  29. An adventurer with a cursed item which can only be passed on willingly.
  30. An old acquaintance of one of the adventurers. Are they enemy or ally?
  31. A lone traveler who has lost their memory.
  32. An archeologist digging for lost treasure.
  33. A friendly group who offer to share a campsite.
  34. A group of monks on a pilgrimage to a holy shrine.
  35. An adventurer full of arrows, badly wounded by a bandit raid.
  36. A mercenary company looking for work.
  37. A hungry beggar offering information in exchange for food.
  38. A party of refugees from a war or battle.
  39. A saddled horse with a few crossbow bolts stuck in its hide and harness, its rider nowhere to be seen.
  40. A chain gang overseen by a stern guard.
  41. A young, fresh-faced adventurer determined to return a hero on their first journey.
  42. A merchant selling dubious potions.
  43. A drunken man on the road mistakes one of the adventurers for a long-lost son or daughter.
  44. A bandit whose gang has been killed — they have escaped with their lives and some small treasures.
  45. An alchemist searching for a rare component.
  46. An animal-trainer leading a huge beast.
  47. A group of low-level bandits who know better than to mess with the party.
  48. A band of dwarven workers singing a jaunty song.
  49. A farmer seeking his strayed livestock.
  50. A group of adventurers on a different quest.
  51. An adventurer solemnly burying a fallen companion.
  52. A doomed plague victim with only hours to live.
  53. A truly heroic and noble knight that ardently follows the ideals of chivalry.
  54. A foppish and condescending noble who looks down his nose at adventurers.
  55. A docile, intelligent monster or giant sitting by the side of the road.
  56. A frantic fortune-teller approaches to say they saw the adventurers in their dreams.
  57. A cryptic merchant peddling bizarre wares in exchange for secrets.
  58. A guide warning of danger ahead that might be easily avoided—for a fee.
  59. A gnome putting their finishing touches on some construction of esoteric and frightening design.
  60. A rainstorm blows in, but a circle of dry calm surrounds a hooded traveler as they pass.
  61. A robed man waves at the party from a tower in the distance, a structure not on any maps.
  62. A knight jousting at a windmill who is convinced the structure is a mimic in disguise.
  63. A confused and bloody man staggers toward the party from a scuffed arcane circle marked out for a recently completed ritual.
  64. A starving family begs the party for money or food.
  65. A lone knight keen to test their mettle seeks directions to the nearest monster of ill repute.
  66. A small woodland creature wearing a tiny golden crown stares at the party imploringly from the oddly lush flora that surrounds it.
  67. A noble's richly appointed carriage imperiously passes by.
  68. An upset merchant insists that one of the adventurers has stolen from them.
  69. A child with an injured animal in their arms frantically looking for help.
  70. A con artist presents a lucrative investment opportunity.
  71. A funeral procession moves solemnly down the road.
  72. A novelist traveling in hopes of finding the perfect inspiration.
  73. A friendly dragon who just awoke from a lengthy slumber and is curious about current events.
  74. A group of adventurers looking for the cure to a plague ravaging another part of the world.
  75. A group of bounty hunters looking for a target and convinced the party must know something.
  76. A forester argues animatedly with a druid.
  77. Settlers on their way to or just starting out on a new claim ask for directions, help, or information about the local culture.
  78. A friendly, eager old peddler with a colorful and overfull cart of bizarre goods for sale.
  79. A group of knights and priests on the hunt for some supernatural evil ask passersby for information.
  80. A local vintner giving away samples of their latest (mediocre) wine in an attempt to drum up business.
  81. A very conscientious troll working to do maintenance on his bridge.
  82. A group of faeries that invite the adventurers to come dance with them.
  83. A disguised young nobleman, slumming it with local toughs, looks to fit in and may try to intimidate or schmooze the party.
  84. A child crying by the side of the road because their kitty Muffles is stuck in the wall of their house.
  85. An extremely cheerful old lady enthusiastically greets the adventurers and tries to sell them her apples.
  86. A cart has gone into a pothole and seems firmly stuck. The carter and their spouse are having a raging argument as to whose fault it was.
  87. A pair of boots can be seen sticking out from under a hedgerow just off the road, with very loud snoring nearby.
  88. At a crossroads, a disheveled youth paces back and forth, clutching a fiddle and muttering to themself.
  89. A dog races up to the adventurers, barks furiously, runs off, and repeats this several times.
  90. From a ditch at the side of the road, the party hears a groan and spots a bloodied, battered figure lying at the bottom.
  91. A couple of artists debating a new project and roping in passersby to weigh in.
  92. A pair of hopelessly lost planar travelers looking for directions. They don’t speak Common.
  93. A food vendor aggressively hawking something unusual and delicious.
  94. Parents frantically searching for a lost child.
  95. A work crew holding together something that broke unexpectedly and desperately needing extra pairs of hands.
  96. A festival in full swing—tipsy locals may try to rope the party into celebratory events, push local cuisine, or prank them.
  97. People search the site of a recent battle for survivors and possibly loot.
  98. A crier loudly proclaims an unpopular new decree to much grumbling and heckling.
  99. A group of traveling minstrels offers to share their campsite, entertain the adventurers, and pass on news and rumors.
  100. A river can only be crossed by way of the ferryman, who asks each traveler for a single silver coin.

Travel Scenery

The world is a fascinating place and across their journeys the adventurers are bound to see some things that are interesting or extraordinary yet pose no threat or danger. Narrators can use travel scenery to heighten the sense of adventure and mystery, introduce new quests, or tweak them to help guide a wayward party back to an important task they've left unfinished.

TABLE: TRAVEL SCENERY

  1. A flock of birds wheels and dives in the air, staying within sight for most of the day.
  2. The ground shakes as some kind of burrowing creature passes beneath.
  3. An old battlefield littered with skeletons and rusty weapons.
  4. A giant tree, towering above those around it, stands lifeless and dead, charred and burned.
  5. A great flying creature such as a dragon or wyvern passes overhead.
  6. Strange voices are heard overnight while at camp, but no sign of anyone is discovered.
  7. An eclipse takes place, plunging the adventurers into darkness for several minutes.
  8. A stone circle, some remnant of an ancient religion.
  9. A ruined keep covered in ivy stands at the side of the road.
  10. A corpse hangs from a tree, clearly having been hanged for some reason.
  11. A beautiful waterfall cascades in a picturesque scene.
  12. Barrow mounds where ancient warriors were laid to rest spread sense of unease.
  13. A large fallen tree blocks passage across the road.
  14. An ancient paved road from a civilization long before any in recorded history.
  15. The inert bodies of a family that have been killed and gnawed upon.
  16. A deserted farm whose owners clearly left in a hurry–there is still livestock there.
  17. A friendly stray dog accompanies the adventurers for a while.
  18. A strange waterfall which flows upwards.
  19. Unusual tracks indicate the passage of some rare monster.
  20. A bridge crosses a chasm with a sign that reads, "Beware of the troll." There is no troll.
  21. An overturned wagon contains spoiled provisions and there are no owners in sight.
  22. An area of trees and bushes clearly ravaged by some kind of disease.
  23. A ranger stands in a clearing, clearly having been turned to stone.
  24. A tree decorated with humanoid skulls.
  25. A majestic white falcon leads the PCs through a shortcut and then vanishes.
  26. The corpse of a well-equipped adventurer still in their armor with a sword in hand.
  27. A great skull of some kind of massive giant, covered with moss and home to small critters.
  28. A shallow grave with notice atop it which reads, "This is the fate of thieves and liars."
  29. Wolves howl in the distance all throughout the night.
  30. The remains of a campsite that was clearly recently used.
  31. An oversized rusted greatsword embedded in a stone.
  32. Ornate spires made of magically-hardened ice rise from the ground.
  33. A great face carved into the side of a cliff.
  34. A wooden stick clearly marks the site of a buried object.
  35. A large statue of a well-known god or hero overlooks the route.
  36. A hot spring provides an opportunity for a bath.
  37. A riderless horse, still saddled, walks down the road.
  38. A swarm of insects, dense enough to be almost opaque, hovers for no apparent reason.
  39. Distant and strange lights flash and move in the sky.
  40. An obelisk or stone pillar etched with eldritch runes.
  41. A rare plant is found, though any herbal concoctions it might be used in are the purview of only expert alchemists.
  42. The sounds of battle can be heard, but nothing can be seen and there are no recent signs of conflict.
  43. An unusual quiet falls – all is still, the animals remain silent, and no wind disturbs the air.
  44. The adventurers discover the corpse of a powerful monster – a dragon, giant, or similar.
  45. The air becomes suddenly chill, even in the height of summer.
  46. A giant eagle swoops down on some small woodland creature and carries it off into the distance.
  47. The blackened and burned remnants of a roadside inn.
  48. A massive fallen tree riddled with fungal growths of unusual size.
  49. A moldering shipwreck paradoxically hangs in the treetops far from any body of water.
  50. Several low hills that look suspiciously like giant tortoises overgrown with bush and bracken.
  51. A thunderstorm in the distance that seems strangely unmoving and persists longer than usual.
  52. A boulder-sized obsidian sphere floats a few yards above low and scattered ruins.
  53. A massive, 100-foot-tall iron colossus lies almost peacefully against a mountain.
  54. A hilltop graveyard covered in colorful flowering vines. Cheerful ravens squawk from atop the ancient headstones in the noonday sun.
  55. The current of a turbulent river creates numerous tiny rainbows in the spray.
  56. A half-finished cathedral to a forgotten god sits covered in moss.
  57. An angelic being appears, loudly blesses a holy site, and disappears.
  58. Ghostly spirits go about ancient daily routines in silence.
  59. Water is paradoxically drawn up from a lake into a cloud overhead.
  60. An ancient roadside inn that is immaculately maintained yet oddly empty.
  61. Two castles on adjacent hilltops stand watch over a river running between them.
  62. Vividly-colored fish swim in a nearby body of water.
  63. A child's joyous laughter echoes from the bottom of a well.
  64. A herd of massive herbivores slowly ambles across an open field, grazing as they go.
  65. An old windmill sits atop a hill outside a town, its blades slowly turning even when there is no breeze.
  66. The outline of a door carved into a rock face.
  67. A stone altar standing alone on a small hill.
  68. An area of devastation caused by two huge monsters fighting. There is blood aplenty but no bodies.
  69. A smooth circular crater – the obvious result of a magical explosion – with a broken staff at its center.
  70. An empty wooden chest clearly pulled from the hole in the ground next to it.
  71. A collection of 17 trees that are perfectly identical in size and shape all the way down to their leaves.
  72. A 100-foot-long perfectly straight groove in the ground, a few inches wide and several feet deep. It starts and ends abruptly.
  73. A monument to an ancient battle honoring the dead. The monument is clean though the battleground is long overgrown.
  74. A set of wards constructed at a crossroads purporting to keep fiends away.
  75. A carved statue of such exquisite quality that it looks as though it was a living person turned to wood. If removed it becomes brittle and quickly loses its details.
  76. A stand of trees burning endlessly without being consumed.
  77. A deep well which appears to be bottomless.
  78. A pool of water which seems to be impossibly clean and clear.
  79. Disused ancient roads lie partially overgrown.
  80. A strange grove where all sound seems to be muted and a sense of peace pervades.
  81. A tall, narrow stone tower, 100 feet high, seemingly empty and standing alone on the landscape.
  82. A 30-foot-wide eldritch rune burned into the ground.
  83. A herd of pegasi flies overhead.
  84. Ambulatory plant creatures slowly trudge along a well-worn route, following the change of seasons.
  85. Clouds that bear an uncanny resemblance to monsters float overhead.
  86. Ancient monument commemorating an armistice that combines the aesthetics of two different peoples.
  87. An abandoned carriage gutted of everything that might have value.
  88. A luxurious inn purporting pleasurable company, though no other customers seem to have been enticed inside.
  89. A talking and interactive figment that flamboyantly points the way to a magical shop.
  90. A shrubbery.
  91. A fortified bridge that spans a chasm over a river of lava.
  92. An empty cart firmly stuck in a pothole. Removing the cart breaks its axle.
  93. The ground nearby is littered with scores of small holes the size of a person's fist.
  94. A perfectly square stone as big as a cauldron.
  95. The shredded remains of a snare that a creature has recently escaped from.
  96. An ancient signpost by the road naming a couple towns and their distances.
  97. Further down the road the air seems to waver as if from heat despite lacking the warmth necessary for such an effect.
  98. A child's top spins on a boulder, sometimes dancing to here or there across the rocky surface – but if left alone it never stops.
  99. An almost absurdly long line of ferrets darts across the party's path and quickly scampers out of sight.
  100. The skies high overhead rumble as if the gods were in violent conflict, but the clouds do not rain or strike with lightning.

Example Regions