Walking Through the Realms

Large cinematic vistas, small caverns and grottos, the open sea, mountainous ranges, and more!
This document covers a set of rules necessary for resolving overland travel on a Kingdom (1
Hex=6 Miles) sized hex map. The map itself isn’t necessary to use these rules, however, it can
add to the immersion of the experience.

It is important to note that in this packet (outside of the Find Treasure table), the term “you”
refers to the GM, while “the party” refers to the players and their characters. The players as a
collective control their party’s actions, without consensus the party gets nowhere. To keep your
players engaged cycle the roller (the player actually rolling the dice for the party’s travel)
clockwise around your table. You control any monsters or NPCs involved during these travels.

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 Instructions:
To start, your party chooses their destination. Map out the number of hexes (referred to moving
forward as “steps”) between the party and their destination. If the party is traveling 24 miles, we
would call that 4 steps, once they travel these 4 steps they reach their destination.

Traveling is set up in rounds. On each round the roller for the party rolls 2d6 per step they travel
towards their goal. After each step that party can decide if they press on, or stop for the night.

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 Boxcars. If the party rolls “boxcars” (a total of 12 on the 2d6 roll), the party gains 1 level of
exhaustion.

Lucky Seven. If the party rolls a 7 the roller gains a point of inspiration (or equivalent).

Snake Eyes. If the party rolls “snake eyes” (a total of 2 on the 2d6 roll), the party can Find
Treasure (see below).

Bust. If the party’s cumulative rolls for a round of daytime travel meets or exceeds a threshold of
22, the party must face an encounter, this encounter takes place before the party reaches their
destination for the day.

• Thresholds. The threshold of 22 represents the distance a party can travel within a given
day. If the party travels at night, the threshold is lowered to 18. Negative weather effects
like rain, hail, sandstorms, snow, or ash fall reduces these thresholds by half.

Forced March. The party can elect to continue the round after a day of travel’s 22 threshold
cycle, traveling at night for an additional 18 threshold cycle. If the party travels more that 1 day
or night cycle within 24 hours they gain a level of exhaustion for every additional cycle they roll
without resting beyond the first.

Rest. The party can choose to stop their progress after they take a step to avoid rolling again or
avoid breaking the current threshold, but when they do, this means that they are done traveling
for the day and their journey will take more time. This rest will count as a Long Rest and reset
their traveling threshold, and the party cannot continue traveling until the following day/night
cycle and gain this benefit.

Find Treasure

When the party “Finds Treasure” roll on the d66 table to determine the nature of the treasure
they find. Adapt these to your setting and biome, replace items or the entire table, but the point is
that the party should typically walk away with a meager reward.

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 Find Treasure Table
d66 Name Description
The walk is peaceful, and you see as you travel some amazing
vistas the likes of which few folks have the pleasure to see, the
View of the
11-16 type of view that makes you marvel at the view and appreciate
wildlands
the natural beauty the universe has gifted you. You remove 1
level of exhaustion.
These fragrant herbs can be used to brew a healing potion or
21 Healing Herbs eaten raw to restore a small amount of health. +1d4 hit points to
everyone in the party.
An abandoned This cart contains 3d4 days worth of food, 1d4 day(s) worth of
22-24
supply cart water, and 2d10 gold.
25-26 Emerald You discover a gemstone worth 1d6 x 100 gp
31-32 A chest The chest contains 1d8 x 100 gold, silver, or copper
33 A ring A silver ring of invisibility
A pool of crystal-clear water can be used to remove exhaustion
or restore a small amount of health. It also tastes refreshing and
34-36 Clear Water
clean. +1d8 hit points to everyone in the party. Remove 1 level
of exhaustion.
This small, glittering nugget of gold can be sold for a significant
41-42 Gold Nugget amount of money. It also glows warmly in the sunlight. Worth
1d4 x 100 gold
This small, glass vial contains a bright red liquid that can be used
43-45 Potion of Healing
to restore a moderate amount of health.
This small, rolled-up parchment contains a healing spell that can
46-52 Scroll of Healing
be used to restore a moderate amount of health.
This small, rolled-up parchment contains a powerful fire spell
53 Scroll of Fireball
that can be used to deal massive damage to enemies.
This etched stone from long ago makes you feel better when you
Standing Rune
54-56 look upon it. +1d8 temporary hit points to everyone in the party.
Stone
Remove 1 level of exhaustion.
Encountering a
60-64 You encounter a friendly merchant or other NPC
friend
This small, lustrous pearl can be sold for a moderate amount of
65-66 Pearl
money. 1d4 x 50 gold.

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 Encounter

This is where some prework is required to tailor the encounters to your campaign. You might
have a band of monstrous bandits or slavers, trolls, or orcs. The nature of the encounter need be
only the bare minimum of details since these encounters are optional. Start off with 3 key points:
the hostile force, the geography, and what the hostile force is doing and go from there. I would
recommend the encounters while traveling be deadly encounters, as the goal is to incentivize
running, or taking the half-hp resource drain and moving on.

Fight. If the party chooses to fight, they must face the creature in a combat encounter, or reduce
their current hit points by half, and expend their highest available spell slots.

Run. The party gains 1 level of exhaustion and rolls 1d6, on a 1 the enemy will stalk them for a
few hours and they will have to choose whether to run again, or attempt to fight the monster,
before they can take their next step.

You might also have an encounter such as a sandstorm, a carnivorous plant, a sinkhole opening,
quicksand, razor hail, or more. If this is the case, you might want to instead roll a saving throw
(you determine) against a DC appropriate to your level, or reduce the party’s current hit points
by half and expend each casters highest available spell slot.