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: tier 0—DC 10, tier 1—DC 12, tier 2—DC 14, tier 3—DC 16, tier 4—DC 18. Depending on the region, some journey activities are made with either advantage or disadvantage. For example, the Scout journey activity in a tier 2 Blasted Badlands is DC 14 and the check is made with advantage.
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 how to modify a journey activity’s difficulty class:
- Inclement Weather (+2) may impede an adventurer’s ability to search for things with the Scout activity, or lead to fewer people on the road (making the Busk and Rob activities more difficult).
- Multitasking (+3), such as attempting a journey activity while trying not to be discovered, may make it harder to attempt the check.
- Hostile Territory (+4) may make it difficult to interact with the locals, impeding a check made to Busk or Gossip. It may be dangerous to stop, so taking the Pray activity or using Scout is harder to do.
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 it 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.
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.