Exploration Campaign

Propaganda Poster

   FARMERS, LABORERS, EXPLORERS, SOLDIERS, AND SURVEYORS
   =====================================================

                      who desire to

              **EMIGRATE to the DODSON COLONY**

          are informed that arrangements have been made
                for free passage from

                    **From NORTH PORT**

                Early in the Month of April

              Aboard the fine fast luxurious ship

                        **OHANA**
                    berthed in DOCK A1

                   **To DOBSON COLONY**

               ---------------------------
     This superb ship has a most excellent Cabin, a
   spacious Deck and superior Accommodations provided
        to Steerage and Intermediate passengers

               ---------------------------

   It is recommended that Parties availing themselves
   of this opportunity should meet together, as often
    as is practical, for the purpose of acquaintance,
       and for arranging plans for promoting their
                 interests on arrival

               ---------------------------

  DOBSON COLONY, the Sovereign's Jewel in the Eastern
 Continent, is now in a prosperous and most successful
   condition. Holding untold wealth of FRUIT FORESTS,
EXOTIC SPICES, DOCILE GAME, GOLD FIELDS, and SILVER MINES.

  The Colonists and Explorers who have already preceded
 there, without any exception, express themselves highly
  satisfied with the healthful nature of the Climate,
  Freedom, Tolerance across Race or Creed, Minuscule
     Fair taxes and the Richness of the Lands.

               ---------------------------

For further Particulars, apply to FORD JONES, Esq., 41 Silver Lane
       to GIST DOBSON, SG., 23 Ministers Row
   to ANDREWS & FLAC HOLDINGS , 10 East Wall street

What?

This is a hex crawl / west march style game focused on exploration.

Who?

The player characters comprise a bunch of explorers, scholars, soldiers, missionaries, and colonists recruited by the Sovereign's people to explore a strange new Eastern Continent, beneath the Rising Sun.

Why?

There are lots of reasons for a character to come here. Seeking fortune or glory. Love of exploration and discovery. Leaving a past behind. Spreading the religion or influence of the Sovereign to a new land.

Where?

The Dodson Colony is at the south end of an island nestled in a harbor protected by a reef of barrier islands along the western shore of the new continent. It is little more than a fort with a dozen long houses and other buildings. It has a motte and bailey keep, making use of the natural palisades along the south western side of the island, that is still under construction with its own inner moat and wall. The outer wall surrounding the buildings is made from local timber with 2 gate houses one to the north toward the islands natural harbor and one to the east toward the farm land, forest, islands and continent beyond.

This will be the character's main base of operation. The colony offers supplies, safety, trade and communication with the homeland.

Session 0

Session 0.1 - Character Generation

  1. What kind of person would respond to that poster?
    1. Are you going Willingly, reluctantly, by force?
  2. Why would they bring you to this colony?
  3. Do you know anyone who was in the 1st group of colonists?
  4. What do you think of the 1st group of colonists?
    1. Do you wish you were one of them?
  5. What part of the colony most appeals to you?
  6. What part of the colony concerns you the most?
  7. How early did your character decide to go?
    1. On first hearing of it?
    2. Last minute?
  8. Did you attend any meeting of colonists before leaving?
    1. Did you arrange meetings?

Races

As normal in the 5e house rules.

Backgrounds

You are a long way from the support systems provided by your background. Some of the experience will be very welcome here, others are here because they were trying to get rid of you, maybe both.

While in the new lands your Background Feature will not come into play.

Classes

Uncommon

Banned

Religion

Calendar

Week M T W Ch Fr As Su Week M T W Ch Fr As Su Week M T W Ch Fr As Su
April August November
1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 19 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 35 15 16 17 18 19 20 21
2 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 20 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 36 22 23 24 25 26 27 28
3 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Hextember December
4 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 21 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 37 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
May 22 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 38 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
5 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 23 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 39 Winter 15 16 17 18 19 20 21
6 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 24 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 40 22 23 24 25 26 27 28
7 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 September January
8 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 25 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 41 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
June 26 Fall 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 42 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
9 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 27 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 43 15 16 17 18 19 20 21
10 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 28 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 44 22 23 24 25 26 27 28
11 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 October February
12 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 45 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
July 30 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 46 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
13 Summer 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 31 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 47 15 16 17 18 19 20 21
14 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 32 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 48 22 23 24 25 26 27 28
15 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 November March
16 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 33 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 49 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
August 34 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 50 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
17 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 51 15 16 17 18 19 20 21
18 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 52 Spring 22 23 24 25 26 27 28

Pre-generated characters

Hired as a guard for the colony, the dutiful Ivan is a powerful honor driven soldier. He had little holding him to the old world and a duty in the new one.

Gethel was raised in a religious clan. From a young age he has been drawn to its mysteries. and now he hopes to share that with those who will listen in the colony and beyond.

Percy has always craved adventure, and a life away from the poor street of the city. Hopefully the colony will offer that.

After being laugh out of every reputable academic institution under sovereign control, Glim is hoping to start a new life as a field researcher away from the humiliation.

Fenris was just a simple hustler who scam the wrong noble. giving the option of going to the colony as a larborer or losing his hand, Fenris chose the colony. However shortly after arriving on the new shore, Fenris fell ill awaking with an array of unexplained new psychic powers. Is the divine retribution or does it have something to new with this place?

Session 0.2 - Hillfolk/Dramasystem interdependency links

Session 0.9 - Prelude: The Past

Session 0.91 - Prelude: North Port

Session 0.92 - Prelude: 1000 Leagues aboard the Ohana

Session 1 - Welcome to Dodson Colony

Some names

Game Play Loop

  1. Choose a quest from the colony
  2. Explore the country side to get to the quest
    1. Assemble a team to travel
    2. Choose roles and travel order
    3. Get supplies
      1. quick encumbrance check
    4. Don't get lost.
    5. There will be an encounter on most every space.
  3. Complete the quest
  4. Travel back to the colony
    1. Quick encumbrance and supplies check
    2. Same as above
  5. Rest and resupply
  6. Make use of XP and Treasure from completing the quest
    1. Buy new Equipment
    2. Level up
    3. this may change the quests available
  7. Use those new abilities to get you next quest.

Exploration Rules

Exploration Party Roles

Hex Exploration Map

adjacent hexes are 1 league (3 miles) center to center.

Hex Type To Enter Visibility Lost DC Weather Mod Forage DC
Arctic 2 hr* 1 league 18 -15 18
Badlands 4 hr 1 league 15 15
Coastal 2 hr 1 league 5 12
Desert 4 hr 1 league 18 20
Farmland 1 hr 1 league 10 *
Forest 4 hr Varies 15 12
Grassland 2 hr 1 league 12 -10 12
Hills 2 hr 3 leagues 12 15
Mountains 8 hr 6 leagues 10 15
Swamp 6 hr 1 league 15 12
Urban 1 hr Varies 10 *
Along a Road 1 hr 1 leagues 5 N/A
Across a River Varies N/A N/A
Deep Water
Swim 8 hr* None 18 20
Rowboat 2 hr 2 leagues 18 15
Shallows
Swim 4 hr* Varies 10 15
Rowboat 1 hr 1 league 10 15

Weather Roll

3d6 + Time Modifier + Hex Modifier

BAse Temp 70?

02:00-06:00 -5 06:00-10:00 +5 10:00-14:00 +10 14:00-18:00 +5 18:00-22:00 -5 22:00-02:00 -10

Month 1 -25 2 -20 3 -10 4 0 5 +10 6 +20 7 +25 8 +20 9 +10 10 0 11 -10 12 -20

2 Sub-Zero 3 Cold 4 Snow 5 Sleet 6 Rain 7 Fog 8 Cool 9 Comfortable 10 Warm 11 Hot 12 Sweltering

Direction 1d8 1 North 2 North East 3 East 4 South East 5 South 6 South West 7 West 8 North West

Intensity Wind/Precipitation 1-12 None 13-17 Light 18-20 Strong/Heavy

216 151 3d6 Temperature 3 -40 degrees 4 -30 degrees 5 -20 degrees 6 -10 degrees 7 -5 degrees 8-13 Normal 14 +5 degrees 15 +10 degrees 16 +20 degrees 17 +30 degrees 18 +40 degrees

The Exploration Adventuring Day

Possible Schedule

Daily supplies

Item Qty. Cost
Rations 2lb 5sp
Water 5lb 0
Oil 1lb 1sp
Totals 7lb 6sp

Campfires

Campfires can be pretty easily maintained from gathered wood in a forested environment.

Otherwise every 10lbs of firewood burns for 1 hour. Providing bright light in a 60 foot radius and dim light for an additional 60 feet.

Resting Rules

Short Rest

A short rest is a period of downtime, at least 1 hour long, during which a character must eat/drink at least 1/3 of a ration does nothing more strenuous than eating, drinking, reading, and tending to wounds.

A character can spend one or more Hit Dice at the end of a short rest, up to the character's maximum number of Hit Dice, which is equal to the character's level. For each Hit Die spent in this way, the player rolls the die and adds the character's Constitution modifier to it. The character regains hit points equal to the total. The player can decide to spend an additional Hit Die after each roll. A character regains some spent Hit Dice upon finishing a Nights or Long Rest, as explained below.

A character can't benefit from more than 2 Shorts Rest before taking a Nights or Long Rest.

Nights Rest

A Nights rest is a period of extended downtime, at least 8 hours long, during which a character must eat/drink at least 1/3 of a ration, sleep and may performs light activity: reading, talking, eating, or standing watch for no more than 2 hours. If the rest is interrupted by a period of strenuous activity--at least 1 hour of walking, fighting, casting spells, or similar adventuring activity--the characters must begin the rest again to gain any benefit from it.

A character can't benefit from more than one Nights Rest in a 24-hour period, and a character must have at least 1 hit point at the start of the rest to gain its benefits.

At the end of a Nights Rest, a character regains anything that would be recovered at a Short Rest is recovered on a Nights rest.

Additionally
All characters heal 1/10th of their maximum hit point pool, Minimum 1.
All characters recovers 1 Hit Dice, and they may use it immediately as part of the Nights Rest.
Sorcerers regain up to half their Sorcery Points
Warrior Monks recover 2 more Ki than the normal short rest amount
Wizards refresh Arcane Recovery, and if they have not already used an Arcane Recovery as part of this Nights Rest they may use it immediately.
For example a Wizard starting the Nights Rest without having used Arcane Recovery may use up the previous Arcane Recovery, and will end the rest with their Arcane recovery refreshed, but cannot use that one until a later short rest.

Long Rest

A Long Rest is a Nights Rest taken in the colony or 3 consecutive days of undisturbed non-strenuous Nights Rests.

At the end of a long rest, a character regains all lost hit points. The character also regains all spent Hit Dice, up to a number of dice equal to half of the character's total number of them (minimum of one die). For example, if a character has eight Hit Dice, he or she can regain four spent Hit Dice upon finishing a long rest.