Tracking time, both inside and outside dungeons is important. When the party is actively exploring an interesting area, use the Dungeon Crawling rules. When the party is doing long distance traveling at scale, use the Hex Crawling rules.

Timekeeping

The base unit of timekeeping is the Day. Days are 24 hours long, as you would expect.

Days are further broken down as follows:

  • Every day has 6 watches. A watch is 4 hours long and is most often used for measuring overland travel.

  • Within each watch are 24 turns. Turns are 10 minutes long, and are used when measuring dungeon time.

  • A turn is made up of 60 rounds. Rounds are 10 seconds long and are used during combat.

Dungeon Crawling

When exploring, a party can move cautiously 200' in one turn. Cautious movement means that the party will notice any traps or interesting information as they explore.

A party can move 600' in a turn if they move quickly. When moving quickly, parties will not see traps, instead, if they trigger a trap, they will have to roll initiative against the trap. On a success, the Referee will describe what triggered the trap, but not what the trap intends to do, and each character that won initiative may take a single action to avoid the perceived trap.

Searching

  • Entry to a 20’x20' room reveals all obvious information.

  • A deeper search takes 1 turn and reveals most secrets.

  • Well hidden secrets must be found by strict direction. Finding a false bottom in a chest will be found within a turn, finding a secret compartment hidden in the filigree of a desk requires the player to investigate the filigree specifically.

Random Encounters

On Being Loud

Loud, when italicized, is a keyword meaning that the party makes enough noise to alert nearby wandering monsters. Combat is a loud action, as is breaking down a door.

In dungeons, each turn, (or any time the party is loud,) roll for a random encounter using an overloaded 2d6 table.

Remember to roll for the monster’s reaction when the PCs first encounter it.

If it matters, it may also be of value to roll for where the monster is. If the party is inside a room, the monster enters the room at the start of the new turn. If the party is in the halls, the monster is 2d6 x 10 feet away traveling towards the party.

Light

Light distances are per Light Sources. Light is ticked down as part of the random encounter table. 2 ticks extinguish a torch, and 4 ticks extinguish a lantern.

Other Activities

  • Picking a mundane lock takes 1 turn.

  • Breaking down a door is loud and takes 1 turn.

  • Combat takes up 1 turn and is loud. Time in excess of combat is spent looting bodies, patching up minor scratches, and regaining energy.

  • Eating lunch, see Combat: Healing, takes 1 hour.

Hex Crawling

Every hex has 2 major landmarks. The first landmark is noticeable upon entering the hex (or possibly from further away in some cases.) The second landmark is only discoverable through searching the hex.

  • A generally flat, and featureless hex (such as grasslands or light forests) takes 2 hours to cross.

  • Hexes with variable elevation or obstacles (such as hills or heavy forests) take 4 hours to cross.

  • Hexes with aggressive elevation change (Mountains,) dense obstacles (swamps,) or a combination of both (hilly woods) take 6 hours to cross.

Searching a hex takes twice as long as crossing it, and crossing a hex via a road reduces the time by half. Every 2 hours spent traveling incurs 1 slot of fatigue, which can be recovered with 1 hour of rest. Inclement weather (heavy rain, snow, or high winds) increase fatigue to 1 slot per hour and doubles the time it takes to travel.

Random Encounters

Roll for random encounters twice each watch. Again, if possible use a overloaded 2d6 table, or 1-in-6 once per watch. If it particularly matters, a d12 roll can be used to tell what 10 minute window an encounter occurs in. The first encounter will happen during the first 2 hours, and the second during the second.

Reaction & Morale Rolls

When encountering monsters, roll 2d6 plus any appropriate modifiers from the most visible party member.

Table 1. Reaction Table
2d6+ Result Notes

2 or less

Immediate Attack

Offended or disgusted

3-7

Unfavorable

May attack if victory is likely

8-11

Favorable

Parley or bargaining

12 or more

Very Favorable

May choose to cooperate

Monsters (or hirelings) may try to run away or surrender if combat turns against them. Monsters have a Morale value listed from 2 (craven) to 12 (unbreakable). Check Morale when:

  1. The side (PCs or monsters) takes their first death.

  2. When half the side has been incapacitated or killed.

  3. If some particularly frightening or spectacular effect occurs.

Roll 2d6. If the result is over the creatures’ Morale score, the creature attempts to retreat, surrenders, or panics. Morale can be adjusted (unless 2 or 12) by situational bonuses.