The following "wilderness exploration rules" are the house 'hex-crawling' mechanics I've been using in my latest AD&D game. These rules can be used interchangeably with 1e, 2e or any OSR variants. The design idea is to keep the procedure clear and simple enough to use with a group of teenagers who are learning to play (I'm also still learning to play). There are to be a few key strategic issues for the players consider in the scope of their daily exploration (encumbrance, the value of a guide, setting watches, etc.), as well as a chance for random encounters and conflicts. I'm trying to keep with the "feel" of old-school D&D: d6 rolls, limited hp recovery, chance of getting lost, wandering monsters, etc. Everything is heavily inspired by original Dolmenwood stuff and Hot Springs Island.
Segments
- 3 segments per day/ 8 hrs each [morning, afternoon, night].
- Roll weather for each segment (see below).
- Resting takes 1 segment (food, water/ 6 hrs sleep/ light activity).
- Resting for 1 segment restores 1 hp.
- Every 3rd segment, a character must rest for 1 segment (rest for 6 hours, consume 1 day of rations, and 1 waterskin). If not, they suffer -1 on all attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws. This penalty increases by an additional -1 for every additional segment spent not resting.
Random Encounters
- At the beginning of a segment when you are not resting roll 1d6, and see below (if necessary, roll 1d8 to determine which hour the encounter occurs).
- Wandering monster (50% chance of "signs" of monster activity: sounds, smells, spoors, footprints, etc).
- Landmark or notable wilderness feature (reroll to check if wandering monster is present).
- Mishap or misfortune. Some minor resource is lost to a random party member (rations, water, torches, rope, etc.).
- Random weather change. Reroll weather.
- Non-combat animal or environmental encounter.
- Fortune's favor. Something positive befalls the party (they discover a helpful asset, find a resource, come upon a marked trail, etc.)
Travel
- 1 segment- travel 1 hex if unencumbered.
- 2 segments- travel 1 hex if slowed or encumbered.
- 3 segments- travel 1 hex if very slow or heavily encumbered.
- At the beginning of a segment, make a 1d6 check to see if the characters “get lost” and lose a segment of travel time.
- Lost on 1 in 6: familiar, clear, open terrain.
- Lost on 2 in 6: unfamiliar, light forest, hills, scrubland, moderate terrain.
- Lost on 3 in 6: unfamiliar, forests, jungle, desert, mountains, swamps, difficult terrain.
- Lost on 4 in 6: unfamiliar, ancient magical forests, impossible mountainscapes, trackless .deserts and so on. Very difficult, alien or magical terrain.
- A knowledgeable guide can reduce the difficulty of the check by 1 or more points.
- No check necessary if traveling by road or marked trail.
- Double hexes traveled if moving by road or marked trail.
Night watch
- 4 watches every night (1 segment), 2 hrs each.
- Roll 1d6 each watch: if roll is a 1, then an wandering monster presents (50 % chance of "signs" of monster activity: distant shapes and movement, sounds, smells, "feelings" etc).
- A character that rests for 1 segment gains the benefit of a “night’s rest” as it applies towards regaining spells, and class abilities.
- Day segments can be broken up into four 2 hour watches. Doing any one “thing” during a segment takes 1-2 watches (2hrs each), i.e. searching, tracking, hunting, foraging, eating.
Weather
- Clear (no fog)
- Cloudy (10% fog)
- Light precipitation (15% fog)
- Precipitation (10% fog)
- Storm (5% fog)
- Violent storm (no fog)
- Precipitation [recheck to see if characters get lost, 1:6]
- Storm [recheck to see if characters get lost, 2:6]
- Violent storm [recheck to see if characters get lost, 3:6]
- Fog [apply +1 difficulty to "getting lost" check]
Roll 2d6 for starting weather condition, and again at the beginning of the following segment. Apply result to placement on the weather chart above.
4-6. Move forward 1 step
7-8. Dont move
9-10. Move backwards 1 step
11-12. Move backwards 2 steps
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