Exploration Activities

As described starting on page 479 of the Core Rulebook, PCs will undertake exploration activities while they explore. The purpose of these activities within the game is to clarify what a PC focuses on as they explore rather than being able to unrealistically do all things simultaneously. This adds variety within the group’s behavior and can show you where players want the story to go. For example, a player whose PC is Investigating carvings on the walls shows you that the player wants those to be informative.

Exploration activities that happen continually as the group explores are meant to be narrative first and foremost, with the player describing to you what they’re doing, and then you determining which an activity applies, plus any details or alterations for the situation. If a player says, “I’m Avoiding Notice,” add more detail by asking what precautions they’re taking or by telling them which passages they think are least guarded. Likewise, if a player says they’re looking for traps and keeping their shield raised and covering the group’s tracks, ask them which is most important to narrow down the activity. Consider the advantages and disadvantages of an activity given current circumstances. For instance, someone Scouting might encounter thin ice and fall through before their group can reach them, or someone Investigating ancient hieroglyphs might critically fail and lead the party in the wrong direction. This does not apply for exploration activities that are discrete and occur when the group is taking a pause or zooming in on a particular action, such as Treat Wounds. Characters can always drop out of a continual exploration activity to perform a discrete one (even if they are fatigued and can’t sustain an exploration activity as they travel), and they can change activities at any time.

QUICK ENVIRONMENTAL DETAILS

AQUATIC

Sights choppy water, rolling waves, sunlight glinting, the curve of the horizon, driftwood

Sounds waves lapping against a ship, seabirds’ cries, fluttering sails, creatures breaching the surface Smells salt water, crisp fresh air, dead fish

Textures frigid water, slimy seaweed, crusty salt collecting on surfaces

Weather powerful winds, oncoming storms

ARCTIC

Sights blinding reflected sunlight, snowy plains, distant glaciers, deep crevasses, rocky cliffs, ice floes and bergs, animal tracks in snow

Sounds howling winds, drips of melting ice, utter quiet Smells clean air, half-frozen bog, lichen, seaweed Textures crunching snow, hard ice

Weather frigid gales, light snowfall, pounding blizzard

FOREST

Sights towering trees, dense undergrowth, verdant canopies, colorful wildlife, dappled sunlight through the trees, mossy tree trunks, twisted roots

Sounds rustling leaves, snapping branches, animal calls Smells decomposing vegetation, flowering plants, pine trees, earthy mushrooms

Textures leaves crunching underfoot, scraping branches, water dripping from above, rough bark

Weather still air, cool shade, sporadic breeze, rain on the canopy, branches coated in thick snow

MOUNTAIN

Sights bare cliffs, snow caps, hardy trees, slopes littered with scree, fallen rocks, birds flying on currents, fog among the peaks

Sounds howling wind, falling rocks, clear echoes, crunch of

rocks underfoot, distant avalanche

Smells blowing dust, pine trees, fresh snow Textures rough stone, powdery snow, unstable rubble Weather swirling clouds, chill of high altitude, direct sunlight, powerful wind and rain

PLAINS

Sights grass waving gently, scattered wildflowers, rocky outcroppings or boulders, the curve of the horizon Sounds rustling wind, birdsong, distant sounds carried far Smells fresh air, earthy soil, distant carcasses Textures touch of tall grass, rasp of scrub brush, crunch of dry dirt

Weather cooling of gentle wind, heat of direct sunlight, massive black thunderclouds

SWAMP

Sights lush leaves, clouds of gnats, algae-coated water, shacks on stilts, darting fish

Sounds croaking frogs, chirping insects, bubbling, splashing Smells rich moss and algae, pungent swamp gases Textures pushing through floating detritus, tangling creepers, thick mud

Weather oppressive humidity, still air, pouring rain, rays of sunlight

UNDERGROUND

Sights winding passages, sputtering yellow torchlight, uneven or cracked floors, ancient writings or architecture, stalagmites and stalactites

Sounds dripping condensation, scurrying rats or insects, distant clunks of machinery, tinny echoes of your voices and footsteps

Smells staleness of still air, sulfur, tang of metal deposits Textures rough rock walls, erosion-smoothed stone, cobwebs Weather chill of underground air, geothermal heat

The Core Rulebook covers how to adjudicate specific activities—Detect Magic, Follow the Expert, Investigate, and Search—on page 496.