Uncharted Journeys Travel System (Simplified)

# Uncharted Journeys Travel System (Simplified) A journey has three stages: **Stage 1: Set the Route** The first stage, Set the Route, determines the origin and destination of the Journey, as well as the distance and difficulty involved. **Stage 2: Prepare** The second stage, Prepare, represents the opportunity before the Journey's outset for characters to assign roles, take stock of their resources, and engage in various endeavours to prepare for the trials ahead. **Stage 3: Make the Journey** The final stage, Make the Journey, represents the noteworthy events and challenges that arise during the Journey. During this stage, we will make a Group Travel Check to determine how many encounters we face. During a Journey, the party may take one Short Rest and no Long Rests. ## Roles A successful journey requires cooperation and understanding from all members of the party. To help with this, Uncharted Journeys introduces Roles, representing the responsibilities a party member undertakes over the course of a Journey. Any character can take on any Role, regardless of their class. In a party with more than four members, two people may take the same role. The four Roles are as follows: * Leader: The Leader is a confident and wise party member who is capable of organising and encouraging the team to persevere through challenges they otherwise could not surmount. * Outrider: The Outrider scouts ahead of the group. They are responsible for finding safe routes, and tracking threats to the party. * Quartermaster: The Quartermaster is responsible for maintaining and finding food and supplies for the party. They ensure the group is well equipped, and that supplies are readily available after a hard day's journey. * Sentry: The Sentry is the eyes and ears of the party. They keep watch over the group and their surroundings, and are often the first to spot danger. Each Role has a Role Ability that they can use once per Journey. These unique abilities can be the difference between success and failure, particularly on long and gruelling journeys, so choosing the right time to use them is vital. As well as their Role Ability, each Role lists options for the type of checks the Role makes during the Group Travel Check step of a Journey. These are Ability Checks, Skill Checks, or Tool Checks that contribute to the overall success of the Journey. ### Leader The Leader's primary goal is to keep up party morale and lead their allies to safety. Typically, a Leader aids their fellow party members in pushing past harrowing obstacles, keeping spirits high on the road, and resolving tense interactions with other travellers. Leaders are typically wise and have a strong spirit. They may often do the talking for the party, but can also be a keen strategist who devises plans to tackle challenges the party may face. A calm and level-headed leader can excel at negotiating conversations and labyrinths alike. #### Inspirational Resolve You inspire your allies and lift their spirits, driving them forward to push beyond their limits. As a Reaction while on a Journey, you can allow another party member to reroll a failed saving throw or ability check. You can do this once per party member per Journey. #### Group Travel Check You can make one of the following checks during the Group Travel Check step of a Journey. * **Outward Confidence**: You are a bastion of hope and optimism to those around you. Make a Charisma (Persuasion) check to inspire others for the journey ahead. * **Inward Resolve**: You look inward, steeling yourself for what is to come and the trials you must face. Make a Wisdom (Insight) check to prepare yourself for the journey. * **A Song in Your Heart**: You sing a song or tell a tale of heroic travellers on an epic quest. Make a Charisma (Performance) check or an ability check with any Musical Instrument to fill your allies hearts with hope and heroism. ### Outrider An Outrider's goal is to find the path through dangerous terrain and lead the party to safety. The Outrider watches for signs of nearby movement, assessing any threats based on perceived evidence, and spotting other travellers along the road before they notice the party. Outriders typically have a strong knowledge of the wilds and are at home in nature. They usually take point on Journeys and will often be away from most of the party, searching for signs of danger or opportunity. #### Find the Path You have a keen sense for the perils that lie ahead, and can guide your party along a safer route. Once per Journey when the GM rolls 1d12 to determine the Encounter Type, you can also roll. The GM tells you the type of Encounter you both rolled, but not the specifics. You can then decide which type of Encounter the group has next. The GM rolls on that table and prepares the Encounter as normal. #### Group Travel Check You can make one of the following checks during the Group Travel Check step of a journey. * **Blaze the Trail:** You trek ahead of the rest of the party, navigating the wilderness and finding the best routes to set off upon. Make a Wisdom (Survival) check to find the ideal starting point. * **Leave No Stone Unturned:** Your expertise with the natural world allows you to predict the potentially dangerous wildlife you will encounter along the way. Make an Intelligence (Nature) check to research the local flora and fauna before you set out. * **Chart the Course:** Using your own knowledge and understanding of geography and the natural world, you sketch out a map indicating the various terrain and hazards you will all face along the journey. Make an ability check using Cartographer's Tools to determine the accuracy of your work. ### Quartermaster The Quartermaster ensures the party are well fed, well equipped, and well prepared for the road ahead. Having enough supplies and equipment to complete the journey is crucial, and having the right tools to deal with any complications can be the difference between the expedition grinding to a halt or overcoming a minor setback. Quartermasters usually have a strong back and are able to intuit the needs of the group. Their attentions are usually focused on the party, rather than the world around them. They spend their time monitoring and hauling supplies, offering aid, and keeping a sharp eye out for any additional stores that can be retrieved from the land. #### Well Prepared You always come prepared, and have the right tools, gear, and food to keep everyone going and give a much needed boost when things get tough. At the start of Stage 3: Make the Journey, you gain a number of Supply Dice equal to your Proficiency Bonus. For example, a 5th-level Quartermaster departs with three Supply Dice. The Supply Die is a d6. At any time throughout the Journey, as a reaction to an ally making an ability check, you can spend a Supply Die to improve the ally's check, adding 1d6 to the result. You can decide to spend the Supply Die after your ally has rolled but before the GM declares whether the check succeeds or fails. #### Group Travel Check You can make one of the following checks during the Group Travel Check step of a journey. * **Share the Load:** You take a few extra things from your fellow adventurers, lightening their load and allowing them to excel at their own tasks. Make a Strength or Constitution (Athletics) check to carry some of your ally's gear. * **Good As New:** You take an inventory of you and your ally's equipment, sharpening blades, tightening straps, mending saddles and stirrups, and reshaping dented armour. Make an ability check using Blacksmith's Tools or Leatherworker's Tools to ensure the quality of the party's gear. * **A Warm Meal:** You prepare a hearty feast or stiff drink for the group as you set off, ensuring everyone starts the expedition with a warm meal in their bellies and a spring in their step. Make an ability check using Cook's Utensils or Brewer's Supplies to start your journey off right. ### Sentry The Sentry acts as the lookout for the party. They cover the party's trail and watch for pursuit and ambushes. A Sentry's senses are always on the world about them, keeping an eye open for danger and staying in the shadows to turn the tables on those who would sneak up on the party. Sentries have sharp senses and a keen mind, and can easily stay hidden and alert for long stretches of time. They remain close to the party as they travel, but often stray off the road to watch for danger. Of all the group, they are usually the most keenly aware of the threats that lurk in the night when the party makes camp. #### Ever Vigilant You are always alert to danger, and keep a close eye out for ambushes, hazards, and traps that could hurt you or your allies. At the start of Stage 3: Make the Journey, you gain a number of Focus Dice equal to your Proficiency Bonus. For example, a 5th-level Sentry departs with three Focus Dice. The Focus Die is a d6. At any time throughout the Journey, as a reaction to an ally making an saving throw, you can spend a Focus Die to improve the ally's check, adding 1d6 to the result. You can decide to spend the Focus Die after your ally has rolled but before the GM declares whether the saving throw succeeds or fails. Additionally, you can spend a Focus Die to grant an ally +1d6 on their Initiative check at the start of combat. #### Group Travel Check You can make one of the following checks during the Group Travel Check step of a journey. * **First Watch:** As the party embarks on the journey, you keep a keen eye out for any dangers that might be lurking on the road ahead. Make a Wisdom (Perception) check to spot early problems along the route. * **Slip the Noose:** You keep to the shadows and out of sight as the party departs, making it hard for anyone to follow your trail. Make a Dexterity (Stealth) check to ensure the party is not followed. * **Hide in Plain Sight:** You know the best way to avoid becoming a target for trouble is to make yourself seem unimportant and not worth the effort of ambushing. Make an ability check using a Disguise Kit to disguise the party as simple travellers carrying nothing of value. ## Preparations Once Roles are assigned, each character participating in the Journey may attempt one Preparation. A character can choose to make one additional Preparation, but they skip the Rest step and gain one level of Exhaustion. Players choose a Preparation from the following list Resolve Preparations with a DC 13 ability check using the pertinent Skill, though the GM may adjust the DC as needed to account for beneficial or detrimental circumstances. Additionally, the GM may decide that a Preparation is simply impossible at the current location — such as asking for directions in a place with no inhabitants! If this happens, the player can simply choose a different Preparation. Each Preparation has an effect if successful, and some also have effects on failure. Unless otherwise noted, the party cannot attempt the same Preparation more than once per Journey. Once Preparations are finished, you take the Rest step (a long rest) and begin the journey. ### Assist Ally You assist an ally with their Preparations. One other character may make the ability check for their Preparation with advantage. ### Brew Tonics You bolster your party with fortifying brews, potions, salves, or tinctures. Make an Intelligence (Brewer’s Supplies, Chemist’s Supplies, or Herbalism Kit) check. On a success, each party member has advantage on Constitution checks and saving throws until the Journey ends. A character loses this benefit the first time they fail a Constitution check or saving throw. ### Carouse You decide the best way to prepare for the road ahead is to enjoy life now — just in case you don’t get another chance! You visit your favourite bar, treat yourself to a fine meal, and swap stories (and maybe fists) with the locals. Make a Constitution (Athletics, Performance, or Gaming Set) check. • On a success, you are filled with a love for life. You have Advantage on all ability checks during the first Encounter on the Journey. • On a success by 5 or more, you had a joyful and memorable time. As well as Advantage on ability checks during the first Encounter, you also learn something valuable about the Journey. Decrease the Journey Difficulty by 2. • On a failure, you are a little worse for wear. You have Disadvantage on all ability checks during the first Encounter on the Journey. • On a failure by 5 or more, you don’t really remember what happened and turn up just in time to depart. As well as Disadvantage on all ability checks during the first Encounter on the Journey, you skip the Rest step (see page 19) and begin the Journey with no more than half your total Hit Dice. ### Chart Course Using the information you have about your origin and destination, you lay out the best possible course to follow for your Journey. Make an Intelligence or Dexterity (Cartographer’s Tools) check. On a success, reduce Journey Difficulty by 5. On a failure, increase Journey Difficulty by 2. ### Consult the Occult You spend a few hours practising esoteric traditions to search for signs and portents concerning the difficulties that lie ahead. Make an Intelligence or Wisdom (Arcana or Religion) check. On a success, each party member may reroll a failed saving throw once before the end of the Journey. ### Pack Up You lug, haul, and consolidate the party’s supplies, then painstakingly organise and pack them tightly to make them as easy to carry as possible. Make a Strength or Constitution (Athletics) check. On a success, reduce the Journey Difficulty by 2. ### Prepare a Feast You prepare a feast, either simple and hearty or elaborate and decadent, lavishing your party with good food and company to lift their spirits before the Journey begins. Make a Wisdom or Charisma (Cook’s Utensils) check. On a success, the first time each party member suffers an effect that would make them gain a level of Exhaustion during the Journey, they do not gain exhaustion. ### Procure Beasts of Burden You take time to find capable creatures to bear your party’s supplies on the Journey ahead. Make a Charisma (Investigation) check to locate and purchase pack animals from a populated origin. The GM determines the price, if any. Alternatively, make a Strength or Wisdom (Animal Handling) check to find and wrangle useful pack animals from the surrounding area. On a success, reduce Journey Difficulty by 2. ### Procure Mounts You search for riding animals to carry your party throughout the Journey. Make a Charisma (Investigation) check to locate and purchase trained mounts and riding gear from a populated origin. The GM determines the price, if any, as well as what kinds of mounts are available. Alternatively, make a Dexterity (Stealth) check to steal mounts rather than purchasing them. On a failure, you are spotted before you can steal the mounts and must abandon your plans. You can’t make another Preparation. If you fail by 5 or more, you were caught in the act, likely resulting in hostility, legal consequences, or other narrative complications. Regardless of the specific approach, if the Preparation succeeds, the party acquires a mount for each character. Mounts can be any properly equipped riding animal, such as horses, large lizards, and other esoteric beasts. The GM determines the type of mount from those listed below. The mounts may all be the same type, or each character may have a different type of mount. * Agile: Agile mounts are sure-footed and nimble, navigating precarious terrain with ease. A character riding an agile mount can make Wisdom (Animal Handling) checks in place of Dexterity checks and Dexterity saving throws during the Journey. * Rugged: Rugged mounts are hardy creatures, enduring arduous travel conditions without complaint. A character riding a rugged mount can make Wisdom (Animal Handling) checks in place of Constitution checks and Constitution saving throws during the Journey. * Strong: Strong mounts are powerfully muscled, capable of great feats of strength. A character riding a strong mount through the Journey can make Wisdom (Animal Handling) checks in place of Strength checks and Strength saving throws during the Journey. ### Procure Supplies You spend time inventorying the party’s supplies and procuring the proper provisions to outfit the group for the challenges ahead. Make a Charisma (Investigation) check to locate and purchase the necessary supplies from a populated point of origin. The GM determines the price, if any. Alternatively, you may opt to make a Wisdom (Survival) check to harvest useful supplies from the surrounding area. As another option, you may attempt to steal supplies rather than purchasing or harvesting them. Make a Dexterity (Sleight of Hand or Stealth) check. On a failure, you are spotted before you can steal the supplies and must abandon your plans. You can’t make another Preparation. If you fail by 5 or more, you were caught in the act, likely resulting in hostility, legal consequences, or other narrative complications. Regardless of the specific approach, if the Preparation succeeds, each of the Quartermaster’s Supply Dice increase from a d6 to a d8. ### Rally the Party You speak to or perform for your party members, mentally and emotionally preparing them for the long road ahead. Choose one of the following approaches and make a Charisma (Performance) check. On a success, your party gains one of the following bonuses. * Encouraging: Each party member begins the Journey with Inspiration. * Galvanising: Party members gain +1 to ability checks until the end of the Journey. * Hopeful: Party members gain advantage to ability checks and saving throws made during the first Encounter of the Journey. * Resolute: Each party member gains temporary hit points equal to twice their Proficiency Bonus. These temporary hit points remain until they are lost due to damage or when the Journey ends. They are not lost when the character rests. * Solemn: Party members gain +1 to saving throws until the end of the Journey. ### Research Poring over the records available at your origin, you search for relevant maps and information specific to the Journey you are about to undertake. Make an Intelligence (History) check. On a success, each party member may reroll a failed ability check once before the end of the Journey. ### Seek Advice You ask local inhabitants or travellers to provide advice about the Journey you are about to make. Make a Wisdom (Insight) or Charisma (Persuasion) check. On a success, each party member has advantage on Wisdom checks and saving throws until the Journey ends. A character loses this benefit the first time they fail a Wisdom check or saving throw. ### Study the Weather You survey the state of nature around you and do your best to forecast the weather, allowing you to prepare accordingly. Make an Intelligence or Wisdom (Nature) check. On a success, reduce Journey Difficulty by 2.