TEXT: Written by SEAN PUNCH
  Illustrated by PAUL DALY, SHANE L. JOHNSON, 
  DAN SMITH, RUTH THOMPSON, and JASON WALTON
  TM
  TM
  Reviewers: Jason “PK” Levine and Steven Marsh
  GURPS, Warehouse 23, and the all-seeing pyramid are registered trademarks of Steve Jackson Games Incorporated. Pyramid, e23, Dungeon Fantasy, Wilderness Adventures, and
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  GURPS System Design T STEVE JACKSON
  GURPS Line Editor T SEAN PUNCH
  Managing Editor T PHILIP REED
  Assistant GURPS Line Editor T JASON “PK” LEVINE
  Production Artist & Indexer T NIKOLA VRTIS
   Art Direction T MONICA STEPHENS and NIKKI VRTIS
  e23 Manager T STEVEN MARSH
  Marketing Director T LEONARD BALSERA
  Director of Sales T ROSS JEPSON
  Prepress Checker T NIKKI VRTIS
  Page Design T PHIL REED and JUSTIN DE WITT
  GURPS FAQ Maintainer T VICKY “MOLOKH” KOLENKO
  STEVE JACKSON GAMES
  Stock #37-0327
  Version 1.0 – June 2014
  ®
  
  INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
  Publication History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
  About the Author. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
  About GURPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
   1. WHO GOES THERE? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
  FROM DELVERS TO OUTDOORSMEN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
  Wilderness Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
  Wilderness Holy Folk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
  Super Naturals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
  ALLIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
  Henchmen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
  Critters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
  Spirits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
  Spirits of Place . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
  EQUIPMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
  Garments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
  Sage Supplies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
  Survival Gear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
  Machete Table. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
  Transportation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
  Mounts Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
  Vehicles Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
  2. BRAVING THE WILDERNESS . . . . . . . . . 20
  Terra Incognita . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
  TRAVEL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
  Travel Arrangements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
  Trudging, Trotting, and Trundling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
  Cool Rides. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
  Terrain Types. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
  Mitigating Circumstances. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
  Covering Ground. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
  Sick and Tired. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
  Travel Loadouts and Sudden Stops. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
  CAMPING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
  EXPLORATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
  Scouting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
  There and Back Again. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
  Aerial Scouting and Mapping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
  Tracking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
  Signaling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
  Stunts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
  DANGERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
  Natural Threats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
  Unnatural Threats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
  Field Engineering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
  Fresh Air Is Good for You . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
  Deliberate Dangers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
  Combat Gone Wild . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
  Aerial Combat. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
  MOTHER NATURE’S BOUNTY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
  Food and Water. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
  Despoilers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
  Natural Preparations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
  Naturally Occurring Loot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
  Makeshift Weapons. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
  Makeshift Weapons Table. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
  3. OUTDOOR ADVENTURES . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
  WHAT COULD POSSIBLY HAPPEN? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
  On the Road Again . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
  The Wilderness Campaign . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
  Accidental Explorers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
  Hedge Maze, Size L. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
  Boldly Going . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
  Sandbox Play . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
  UNDER THE BIG SKY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
  Scale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
  Boundaries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
  Maps. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
  Nature’s Strength . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
  WILDERNESS WOES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
  Mother Nature. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
  Optional Rule: Risk Assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
  Bolts from the Blue. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
  Fightin’ Round the World. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
  Weirdness. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
  Outdoors, Indoors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
  INDEX. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
  CONTENTS
  2
  CONTENTS
  “And now,” cried Max, “let the wild rumpus
  start!”
  – Maurice Sendak, 
  Where the Wild Things Are
  
  This can be an adventure in itself: the party is sent to explore
  and map the trackless waste, virgin planet, mysterious dungeon,
  steaming jungle, dead city, or whatever.
  – GURPS Basic Set
  It’s strange that hack-’n’-slash gaming is so dungeon-bound,
  given how many of the sword-and-sorcery tales that sowed the
  seeds were set outdoors. Conan, the archetypal monster-slay-
  ing freebooter, got his start fighting and pillaging his way
  across the wilds. Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser, fortune-seekers
  extraordinaire, likewise spent a lot of time trudging and sail-
  ing. The saga of Middle Earth saw heroes of all professions
  slogging through forests, mountains, and marshes – and fea-
  tured battles involving giant eagles, huge wolves, and walking
  trees. Yet what stood out was that fantasy adventurers, unlike
  most others, also delved into caves, mines, sewers, and tombs.
  Which didn’t change the fact that they had the wind in their
  hair most days and slept under the stars most nights.
  GURPS Dungeon Fantasy tends to overlook the trip in favor
  of the destination, too. It has “Dungeon” in the name. The sup-
  plement on adventure planning and adventuring activities is
  titled Dungeon Fantasy 2: Dungeons. Could it be less subtle?
  Dungeon Fantasy 16: Wilderness Adventures sets out to
  redress this shortcoming. It looks back over Dungeon Fantasy
  1 to 15 (that’s why it’s so long) and adds extra detail where out-
  door action is concerned. Chapter 1 advises players on abilities
  and equipment for wilderness quests; Chapter 2 holds expanded
  rules for travel, camping, exploration, outdoor hazards, and fun
  with rope and wooden stakes; and Chapter 3 counsels the GM
  on how to use Chapter 2 to challenge heroes built with Chapter
  1 in mind. In short, this supplement provides everything needed
  to drag delvers into the fresh air to discover the joys of quick-
  sand and sunburn!
  Not that this stuff is only useful under the sun. Many a dun-
  geon is home to wilderness environments and dangers ranging
  from quicksand pits, through underground vegetation for mon-
  sters to lurk in, to subterranean rivers as broad and as swift 
  as the outdoor kind. A mega-dungeon might be so extensive that
  the GM wants more-detailed rules for travel, camping, and so
  on. And many a fantasy tale borrows from classical myth, por-
  traying an underworld almost indistinguishable from the out-
  doors. Everything here works in those situations, too.
  PUBLICATION HISTORY
  This is the first edition of GURPS Dungeon Fantasy 16:
  Wilderness Adventures. It refers to earlier GURPS Dungeon
  Fantasy volumes to enhance rather than reiterate, but
  invokes GURPS Dungeon Fantasy 1: Adventurers and
  GURPS Dungeon Fantasy 2: Dungeons often enough that
  the reader will find it more useful with those supplements in
  hand. Except for liberties taken in the name of fantasy,
  equipment stats are consistent with GURPS Low-Tech,
  GURPS Low-Tech Companion 3: Daily Life and
  Economics, and even GURPS High-Tech. This work doesn’t
  repeat those ones verbatim, however.
  ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  Sean “Dr. Kromm” Punch set out to become a particle physi-
  cist in 1985, ended up the GURPS Line Editor in 1995, and has
  engineered rules for almost every GURPS product since. He
  developed, edited, or wrote dozens of GURPS Third Edition
  projects between 1995 and 2002. In 2004, he produced the
  GURPS Basic Set, Fourth Edition with David Pulver. Since
  then, he has created GURPS Powers (with Phil Masters),
  GURPS Martial Arts (with Peter Dell’Orto), and the GURPS
  Action, GURPS Dungeon Fantasy, and GURPS Power-Ups
  series . . . and the list keeps growing. Sean has been a gamer
  since 1979. His non-gaming interests include cinema, mixology,
  and most recently tango. He lives in Montréal, Québec with his
  wife, Bonnie.
   INTRODUCTION
  INTRODUCTION
  3
  About GURPS
  Steve Jackson Games is committed to full support of
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  Resources include:
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  Internet. Visit us on the World Wide Web at
  sjgames.com for errata, updates, Q&A, and much more.
  To discuss GURPS with our staff and your fellow
  gamers, visit our forums at forums.sjgames.com. The
  GURPS Dungeon Fantasy 16: Wilderness Adventures
  web page is gurps.sjgames.com/dungeonfantasy16.
  Bibliographies. Many of our books have extensive bib-
  liographies, and we’re putting them online – with links to
  let you buy the resources that interest you! Go to each
  book’s web page and look for the “Bibliography” link.
  Errata. Everyone makes mistakes, including us – but
  we do our best to fix our errors. Up-to-date errata pages
  for all GURPS releases, including this book, are avail-
  able on our website – see above.
  Rules and statistics in this book are specifically for
  the GURPS Basic Set, Fourth Edition. Page references
  that begin with B refer to that book, not this one.
  
  To fight and loot under the open sky, adventurers need suit-
  able abilities, companions, and equipment. Some heroes live
  for this stuff – they literally track down old friends in town,
  pitch a tent to sleep indoors, bring their tiger everywhere
  (“She’s tame . . . oops.”), and contemplate mounted combat in
  the dungeon. Others need help. For the unprepared, the wilder-
  ness can be as harsh as any labyrinth!
  CHAPTER ONE
  WHO GOES
  THERE?
  WHO GOES THERE?
  4
  First, a word to druids and scouts: You’re already wilderness-
  prepared, and can skim this part – though if you do, you’ll miss
  the gushing about how wonderful you are. That also goes for
  your illiterate barbarian friends; please read it to them (slowly).
  For everyone else, there’s the matter of how to use existing
  abilities to succeed at the occasional wilderness expedition –
  because short-term, even the most city-bred thief or agorapho-
  bic dwarf can find ways to be useful. Beyond that, there’s shat-
  tering stereotypes to show that barbarians, druids, and scouts
  aren’t the only adventurers who can be career outdoorsmen.
  The following notes discuss both situations for each archetype,
  under “Wilderness Adventures” and “Wilderness Campaigns,”
  respectively. Obviously, anything that goes for adventures also
  holds for campaigns!
  Artificer
  see Sages, p. 5
  A technophile might seem out of place in the no-tech
  wilderness, but the artificer can make himself indispensable by
  providing the party with outdoor gear.
  Wilderness Adventures: Any artificer can use Gizmos to con-
  jure minor survival gear; e.g., alchemist’s matches, rations, and
  uses of first aid kits. He can also exploit Quick Gadgeteer to
  adapt carts into rafts, tents into fishing nets, and so on. Less cin-
  ematically, his Armoury skills make him handy at Makeshift
  Weapons (p. 45), while his Traps skill is invaluable for leaving
  nasty surprises (Traps, pp. 36-37).
  Wilderness Campaigns: A dedicated wilderness artificer
  should consider associating his starting Equipment Bonds with
  outdoor gear to get +1 on relevant skills: Climbing for climbing
  spikes, Fishing for fishhooks and line, Navigation for a compass,
  Survival for personal basics, etc. He might select additional
  Equipment Bonds for such kit, more Gizmos so that he can
  always start a campfire and whip out food, and Lifting ST to
  travel swiftly even with a full pack. Cartography, Climbing, First
  Aid, Knot-Tying, and Stealth all make excellent background skill
  choices. Finally, he ought to avoid Pyromania – too many
  nature-loving entities take such conduct personally!
  Assassin
  see Ninja, p. 9
  An assassin is an expert stalker, if not a wilderness-opti-
  mized one like a scout. He can considerably increase a group’s
  firepower in outdoor ambushes.
  Wilderness Adventures: A standard assassin will get good
  mileage out of his Poisons skill to extract plant toxins (Poisons,
  p. 45) and his Traps skill to set snares, pits, and so on (Traps,
  pp. 36-37). His incredible Stealth skill is extremely valuable
  when scouting ahead or ambushing enemies.
  Wilderness Campaigns: The wilderness assassin ought to
  consider increasing Per to improve many key outdoor skills;
  raising Basic Move for swift travel; adding Flexibility and/or
  Perfect Balance to assist him at climbing trees and negotiating
  narrow crossings; and selecting Gizmos in order to pull out
  survival essentials as well as deadly surprises. Choosing Bow or
  Crossbow as his main ranged-weapon skill is most effective. At
  least some background skill points should buy Cartography,
  First Aid, Hiking, Observation, and perhaps Seamanship.
  Barbarian
  see Adventurers, pp. 4-5
  As one of the three main outdoor professionals, the barbar-
  ian owns the wilderness. He’s particularly good at long hauls
  with heavy packs.
  FROM DELVERS
  TO OUTDOORSMEN
  
  WHO GOES THERE?
  5
  Wilderness Adventures: A barbarian’s Outdoorsman advan-
  tage makes him the go-to guy for tasks involving Camouflage,
  Fishing, Mimicry, Naturalist, Navigation, Survival, or Tracking
  – and the GM may follow the advice in GURPS Power-Ups 3:
  Talents and apply the Talent bonus to Weather Sense, too.
  High HT makes him exceptional at Hiking and Swimming,
  while impressive ST and good Basic Move allow him to keep
  up while lugging supplies for the long haul.
  Wilderness Campaigns: Even a barbarian can prioritize
  wilderness adventuring over combat. Advantage points should
  buy more Per (aiding Fishing, Survival, and Tracking) and
  some of Absolute Direction (boosting Navigation), Animal
  Empathy, Discriminatory Smell (excellent for Tracking), and
  Temperature Tolerance. Lifting ST is nice but almost overkill
  . . . unless the barbarian wants to haul camping gear for an
  entire group without slowing down! Bow is the most valuable
  ranged-weapon skill. Handy background skills are Climbing,
  First Aid, and Observation, but Seamanship or Skiing suits
  some origins. A barbarian who knows he can avoid technology
  and crowded cities can pay for much of this with Low TL, Pho-
  bia (Crowds), and Phobia (Machinery) without really sacrific-
  ing effectiveness.
  Bard
  see Adventurers, pp. 5-6
  While the bard is out of his element away from towns and
  people, he can help out by sending long-distance signals,
  speaking with beasts, and boosting perceptions and recall.
  Wilderness Adventures: Outdoor adventures often involve
  wild animals, and the bard can use Musical Influence to soothe
  the savage breast (Dungeons, p. 10). His musical skills come in
  handy for Signaling (p. 28), too.
  Wilderness Campaigns: A bard who operates mainly in
  wilderness needs a lot of fine-tuning. Advantage points not
  invested in suitable special abilities (keep reading!) ought to go
  toward a few of Acute Hearing (a keen musician’s ear can hear
  footfalls even when visibility is nil), Penetrating Voice (for call-
  ing distant allies), Photographic Memory (for retracing routes),
  and Wild Talent (to “recall” Area Knowledge and Survival spe-
  cialties). Skill choices should include Bow to help with ranged
  combat; a Current Affairs specialty for a major wilderness
  region (bandit-infested desert, haunted forest, etc.); and Climb-
  ing, First Aid, Hiking, and Observation. As for special abilities,
  Musical Influence is the only bardic skill that affects beasts,
  while Mimicry, Speak with Animals, Subsonic Speech (for its
  long range), and Telecommunication (for its longer range) are
  all valuable Bard-Song options. The best bardic spells for out-
  door scenes are sense-enhancers like Keen (Sense) and Alert-
  ness; Vigil, for standing watch; and long-range signals such as
  Communication, Dream Projection, Dream Sending, Mind-
  Sending, and Telepathy.
  Cleric
  see Adventurers, pp. 6-7
  As most parties’ main healers, clerics are essential wherever
  the heroes travel. Healing spells, Esoteric Medicine, and First Aid
  can treat carnivorous-ape bites in the jungle and dungeon alike.
  Wilderness Adventures: The cleric remains useful by patch-
  ing up his pals as usual – the GM doesn’t need to invent ways
  to make him even more important!
  Wilderness Campaigns: A wilderness cleric should serve a
  deity of a nature-oriented realm (see Wilderness Holy Folk, p. 6)
  and consider taking advantage of Holy Might to obtain a suitable
  divine servitor (p. 15) as an Ally – or even his god as a Patron.
  A dungeon explorer may choose to give up blue slime,
  green slime, and red slime for rain, swamp rot, and mosqui-
  toes. The most decisive way to tackle this is to purchase 
  a lens that adds barbarian, druid, or scout abilities. Such
  lenses appear in Dungeon Fantasy 3: The Next Level for the
  professions in Dungeon Fantasy 1: Adventurers, and along-
  side the templates for archetypes described in later volumes
  (mentalists, ninja, scholars, and so on). The -barbarian lens
  best suits warriors with respectable ST and HT; the -druid
  lens, high-IQ types; and the -scout lens, paragons of DX and
  Per. For instance, a thief’s ideal choice would be thief-scout,
  but thief-druid could work; thief-barbarian would be dicey.
  Alternatively, the GM might allow a special lens as a
  power-up for any delver (even a barbarian, druid, or scout
  who feels inadequate):
  Wilderness-Trained (+15 points): Spend a total of 15 points
  on Climbing and Stealth, both (A) DX-1 [1] or DX [2];
  Camouflage (E) IQ [1] or IQ+1 [2]; Navigation (Land)
  and Weather Sense, both (A) IQ-1 [1] or IQ [2]; Swim-
  ming (E) HT [1] or HT+1 [2]; Hiking (A) HT-1 [1] or HT
  [2]; Fishing (E) Per [1] or Per+1 [2]; and Survival (any)
  (A) Per-1 [1] or Per [2]. • All skill levels must be 10+. If
  high attributes or known skills enable this for less than
  15 points, spend remaining points on any of HT +1 [10];
  Per +1 or +2 [5 or 10]; Boating (Unpowered) or Riding
  (Horse), both (A) DX-1 [1] or DX [2]; Cartography, Dis-
  guise (Animals), Prospecting, or Traps, all (A) IQ-1 [1]
  or IQ [2]; Mimicry (Animal Sounds or Bird Calls), Nat-
  uralist, or Pharmacy (Herbal), all (H) IQ-2 [1], IQ-1 [2],
  or IQ [4]; Skating or Skiing, both (H) HT-2 [1], HT-1 [2],
  or HT [4]; or Observation, Survival (any other), or
  Tracking, all (A) Per-1 [1] or Per [2].
  When using Training Expenses (The Next Level, p. 43)
  and Buying Power-Ups (Dungeon Fantasy 11: Power-Ups,
  pp. 7-8), this is a somewhat common training regimen that
  costs $450 – often in the form of a “temple donation” to
  druids. Unless the GM insists on realism for some reason,
  PCs who cough up $450 and 15 points can complete this
  program in three weeks. As that’s no more costly than
  lounging around town (Dungeon Fantasy 2: Dungeons,
  p. 4), heroes with time, cash, and points should consider
  doing this before their first big wilderness adventure.
  Wilderness Training
  
  Among the standard ranged-weapon skills for clerics, Sling
  shoots farthest, which is important outdoors. Good back-
  ground skills are Climbing, Hiking, Observation, and Stealth.
  Fitting spells – apart from those for healing – provide protection
  from the elements (e.g., Coolness, Resist Cold, Resist Fire, Resist
  Lightning, Umbrella, and Warmth) or supply basic survival
  needs (Create Food, Create Water, Essential Food, Monk’s Ban-
  quet, Purify Water, etc.). Breathe Water is useful for exploration,
  Watchdog is effective at warding campsites, and Earthquake
  and Storm are impressive in natural settings. Finally, a Vow of
  vegetarianism goes over well with protectors of wild creatures.
  Demonologist
  see Summoners, pp. 6-7
  While marginal in wilderness situations, the demonologist
  can at least conjure flying demons to scout the wilds – and
  work dire magic to suppress nature spirits who object.
  Wilderness Adventures: The average demonologist lacks use-
  ful outdoor abilities. The GM ought to consider involving
  demons (who are quite willing to haunt deserts, forests, valleys,
  etc.) to give him something to do.
  Wilderness Campaigns: The wilderness demonologist should
  think about spending some advantage points on Photographic
  Memory (to remember paths) and on Allies capable of scouting
  and tracking (such as a flying devilkin familiar or a bound stan-
  dard demon with the Hound of Hell package). He would do well
  to avoid the Frightens Animals disadvantage! Handy back-
  ground skill choices are Cartography, Climbing, Crossbow, First
  Aid, Hiking, Observation, and Stealth. Though demonologists
  don’t have spells that are specifically useful outdoors, nature
  spirits are still spirits, subject to Affect Spirits, Banish, Entrap
  Spirit, Materialize, Pentagram, Repel Spirits, Sense Spirit, Solid-
  ify, and Turn Spirit – and Scryguard can thwart rivals who
  would use magic to track the group or reveal their ambushes.
  Druid
  see Adventurers, p. 7
  Another of the three key outdoor professionals, the druid is
  the foremost spellcaster in the wilderness, rivaling even a well-
  rounded wizard.
  Wilderness Adventures: The druid is almost the only choice
  when it comes to Herb Lore or Pharmacy (Herbal), and the
  preferred one for tasks involving Animal Handling, Camou-
  flage, Disguise (Animals), Mimicry, Naturalist, Survival, or
  Weather Sense. With Climbing, Hiking, and Stealth, he’s no
  slouch at physical feats, either – though barbarians (pp. 4-5)
  and scouts (pp. 8-9) are better. And naturally, all spells and
  Druidic abilities are useful in wild places.
  Wilderness Campaigns: A druid who wants to be an outdoor
  adventurer rather than an inscrutable mystic should earmark
  advantage points to increase Per or Green Thumb, or to add
  Animal Friend or Outdoorsman. Valuable skill
  picks are First Aid, Hidden Lore (Nature Spirits),
  and Observation, plus Sling for long-range com-
  bat. Though there are no bad Druidic abilities,
  Terrain Adaptation and Allies capable of scouting
  (Critters, pp. 12-14) are useful even when animals,
  plants, and nature spirits are absent. Similarly, all
  druidic spells are relevant, but while fogs, storms,
  and volcanoes are fun, allies might hope for spells
  that aid navigation (Find Direction, Know Loca-
  tion, Pathfinder, Remember Path, and Tell Posi-
  tion), stealth (Conceal, False Tracks, Hide Path,
  Light Tread, and Walk Through Plants), travel
  (Quick March, Snow Shoes, and Swim), and pro-
  tection from the elements (Resist Cold, Resist
  Lightning, Umbrella, and Weather Dome). Finally,
  a druid can show his munchkin colors by paying
  for some of these goodies with disadvantages that
  won’t hurt in the wilderness – e.g., Intolerance
  (Urbanites), Phobias (Crowds or Machinery), and
  Vow (Never sleep indoors) – and ones that may
  actually help him avoid its denizens’ ire, notably Sense of Duty
  (Wild nature) and Vow (Vegetarianism).
  Elementalist
  see Summoners, pp. 9-10
  Elementalists can exploit the connection between magical
  elements and natural ones to become surprisingly effective
  outdoors.
  Wilderness Adventures: Though elementalists don’t automat-
  ically get advantages and skills for dealing with the outdoors,
  it’s hard to avoid magical abilities and spells that are useful
  there. And Hidden Lore (Elementals) does cover elementals
  found in nature.
  Wilderness Campaigns: A “generalist” makes a better
  wilderness elementalist than a “specialist,” as all the elements
  are abundant in the great outdoors. (Exception: If the GM con-
  siders wood an element, then access to the Outdoorsman abil-
  ity and Plant spells makes wood specialists the best wilderness
  elementalists of all.) Valuable advantages are Elemental abili-
  ties such as Amphibious, Doesn’t Breathe, and Pressure Sup-
  port for underwater exploration; Terrain Adaptation, Walk on
  Air, and Walk on Liquid for travel and scouting; and of course
  Temperature Tolerance. The common Frightens Animals and
  Pyromania disadvantages are best avoided. Recommended
  secondary skill choices are Prospecting, Psychology (Elemen-
  tals) for “wild” elementals, and Sling for shooting far-off threats,
  while background skills should include some of Cartography,
  Climbing, Hiking, Observation, Stealth, and Weather Sense.
  WHO GOES THERE?
  6
  Wilderness Holy Folk
  Not all “nature priests” are druids (below). When using Dungeon
  Fantasy 7: Clerics, a wise choice of patron deity can turn a cleric
  (pp. 5-6) or a holy warrior (p. 7) into a crack wilderness adventurer.
  Especially good is a god of the hunt (adding druidic abilities and exten-
  sive outdoor skills, and converting the cleric into a variant druid), a
  god of messengers and rogues (opening the door to Outdoorsman and
  better Per and Basic Move, and reimagining the holy warrior as a
  scout), a sea god (granting skills, special abilities, and clerical spells
  useful when “outdoors” means “the sea”), or a storm god (bestowing
  abilities tied to flight and the natural elements, and offering clerics
  many suitable spells). An earth or sun god would also be thematic,
  though these options aren’t backed as strongly with practical capabili-
  ties. The GM decides whether sanctity or Nature’s Strength (p. 53)
  underlies such delvers’ powers, and should inform the players of this.
  
  When it comes to spells, the Air, Earth, and Water colleges offer
  many exploration and survival options.
  Holy Warrior
  see Adventurers, pp. 7-8
  Evil can be found everywhere, even outdoors, and the holy
  warrior is prepared to fight it there – especially if he has a
  trusty mount to ride or troops to lead.
  Wilderness Adventures: The typical holy warrior, like the
  demonologist (p. 6), calls for the GM to taint Nature with Evil
  to give him something to do. Considering his Born War Leader
  advantage and associated Leadership, Strategy, and Tactics
  skills, though, there’s another option: Let him lead the sort of
  crusading army that won’t fit indoors!
  Wilderness Campaigns: The wilderness holy warrior fights
  for the god of an outdoor realm (see Wilderness Holy Folk, p. 6)
  and picks Holy abilities such an Ally in the shape of a nature-
  or travel-oriented divine servitor (p. 15), or a celestial steed or
  a holy hound (Dungeon Fantasy 5: Allies, p. 13) – or even a
  deity as a Patron. The GM may also let him choose a Higher
  Purpose pertaining to killing a wilderness-dwelling evil, or at
  least Physiology and Psychology specialties for such monsters.
  The best choice for ranged combat is Crossbow, while good
  background skill picks are Climbing, Hiking, Stealth, and
  Observation. The holy warrior is one of the few heroes capable
  of Mounted Combat (pp. 41-42); to gallop down that path, he
  needs Lance and Riding (perhaps instead of Hiking). Finally,
  Vow (Own no more than horse can carry) is the defining dis-
  advantage of such worthies!
  Innkeeper
  see Taverns, p. 8
  Though the innkeeper is cut out for town, he can act as the
  tough camp cook, carrying the group’s survival gear and abus-
  ing it in surprising ways.
  Wilderness Adventures: An innkeeper forced outdoors can
  use Improvised Weapons (Kitchenware) to have his group
  basics (Adventurers, p. 23) do double duty as a hatchet, small
  mace, and large knife (cleaver, frying pan, and kitchen knife).
  Wild Talent lets him invoke Area Knowledge and Survival spe-
  cialties for any locale. And honestly, Crossbow is better-suited
  for outdoor use than for the barroom. Innkeepers can also
  acquire polar beer (assume it instantly cancels 4 FP lost to
  heat, p. 30) and whisker gin, even if other PCs cannot; see
  Dungeon Fantasy 10: Taverns, p. 31.
  Wilderness Campaigns: The “wilderness innkeeper” is a
  camp or caravan cook. He should spend his copious advan-
  tage points on several of Per, Discriminatory Smell (for track-
  ing), Photographic Memory (never get lost), Gizmos (survival
  basics on demand), Lifting ST (lug cookware without slowing
  down), Penetrating Voice (signal allies), and additional Wild
  Talent – and the GM should consider allowing Jack of All
  Trades and Piecemeal Knowledge (for Herb Lore and spells
  like Climbing, Ignite Fire, Seek Water, and Test Food) from
  Power-Ups. Among his many skill choices, the best are
  Climbing, First Aid, Hiking, Observation, Stealth, and
  improved Crossbow – and the GM may let him swap “urban”
  skills for Survival skills and Recipe perks (Dungeon Fantasy
  15: Henchmen, p. 24).
  Knight
  see Adventurers, pp. 8-9
  Outdoors, the knight fills his usual role as “primary
  fighter” but might back this up by fighting from horseback,
  leading troops, and being almost as good at archery as the
  scout (pp. 8-9).
  Wilderness Adventures: Any knight’s primary role on wilder-
  ness adventures is killing bandits, monsters, etc. – and like the
  holy warrior (above), he might even get to command outdoor-
  sized forces thanks to his Born War Leader advantage, which
  raises Leadership, Strategy, and Tactics. Also, Armoury is
  handy for Makeshift Weapons (p. 45).
  Wilderness Campaigns: A knight built for wilderness adven-
  tures should put some of his generous advantage allotment
  toward HT (which governs outdoor movement skills), Basic
  Speed (to raise Basic Move and better cover long distances),
  Penetrating Voice (to signal distant allies), and suitable vari-
  eties of Weapon Master (for bows, crossbows, or cavalry
  weapons, especially the lance). Strategic combat skill choices
  are one of Bow or Crossbow, with Fast-Draw (Arrow), for
  ranged engagements, and Lance and Riding for Mounted
  Combat (pp. 41-42). Practical background skills are Climbing,
  First Aid, Hiking, Observation, and Stealth.
  Martial Artist
  see Adventurers, pp. 9-10
  Even if he doesn’t specialize in outdoor action, the martial
  artist is good at covering ground and doesn’t rely on heavy gear
  that would slow him down.
  Wilderness Adventures: Being swift and light on his feet – with
  high Basic Move and impressive skill at Jumping and Stealth –
  lets any martial artist excel at outdoor scouting and travel.
  Wilderness Campaigns: A wilderness martial artist is
  remarkably effective. Between mundane advantages and Chi
  abilities, he can stack up Basic Move and Enhanced Move to
  become a formidable runner outdoors, where high speeds in
  straight lines make sense; exploit Flexibility and Perfect Bal-
  ance for climbing; and enjoy the freedom of Super Jump with-
  out a roof overhead. Or he could focus his mind, raising Per
  and using Wild Talent to “know” how to survive. Among his
  mundane skill selections, Sling gives the best range, while
  Climbing, First Aid, Hiking, Observation, and Running are use-
  ful for survival. Chi skills that shine are Breath Control for div-
  ing, Flying Leap for soaring into the treetops, Light Walk for
  Treetop Duels (p. 40) and foiling enemy trackers, and Parry Mis-
  sile Weapons to defend against the ranged attacks that domi-
  nate outdoor combat. Lastly, note that neither low Wealth
  levels nor Vows to fight unarmed seriously limit someone who
  travels light, living off the land.
  Mentalist
  see Psi, pp. 15-16
  Mentalists are another group who chiefly deal with their
  specialty wherever it arises – in the dungeon or in the wilds –
  but who can pick abilities to become effective outdoors.
  Wilderness Adventures: Most mentalists aren’t optimal for
  outdoor adventures. The GM must review a given adventurer’s
  abilities and set things up so that the player has something to do.
  WHO GOES THERE?
  7
  
  Wilderness Campaigns: A wilderness mentalist can use
  psionic Intuition to reduce travel times, Levitation to finesse
  chasms and thin ice, Psight and Remote Viewing to scout,
  Psychometry to enhance or replace Tracking, and Telesend 
  with the Coordinator or Spotter power-up to signal allies; see
  Dungeon Fantasy 14: Psi, pp. 31-32 for these applications.
  Don’t overlook the completely mundane options of Animal
  Empathy, Photographic Memory (for routes), Wild Talent
  (for temporarily remembering outdoor skills), and increased
  Per. Mentalists have several good skill choices, too – notably
  Climbing, First Aid, Hiking, Observation, Stealth, and Track-
  ing. Just avoid Pyrokinetic Bolt and Pyromania in worlds
  where nature entities loathe fire.
  Necromancer
  see Summoners, pp. 13-14
  The most likely role for the necromancer in a wilderness
  setting is dealing with not-so-dead entities that haunt the wilds
  instead of towns or dungeons.
  Wilderness Adventures: With high Night Vision and a
  respectable Stealth skill, the necromancer can assist with
  skulking around in the bushes after dark. His broad-based
  affinity for the undead is valuable in any outdoor destination
  described as “haunted” or “burial grounds.” On a lengthy
  adventure in the hinterlands, he might even accumulate a trou-
  blesomely large zombie army, unless the GM introduces some-
  thing (probably angry nature spirits) to compensate for the
  absence of civilized social pressures.
  Wilderness Campaigns: A wilderness necromancer should
  pick mundane advantages like Photographic Memory (for mem-
  orizing trails) and Temperature Tolerance – and not overlook
  Higher Purpose (Maintain the natural order), which can be quite
  relevant in a natural setting. Necromantic abilities can help, too;
  a bound lesser ghost Ally can scout unseen nearly anywhere,
  Reduced Consumption helps conserve rations on the trail, and
  Silence is handy for night stalking (a recurring theme). Suitable
  skills are few in number: Climbing and Observation. Deathly
  spells are helpful only inasmuch as they affect nature spirits, rec-
  ommending Affect Spirits, Command Spirit, Materialize, Sense
  Spirit, and Solidify. While Bad Smell, Frightens Animals, and
  Heliophobia are common, they’re a bad idea on outdoor adven-
  tures . . . but far from civilized areas, nobody is likely to care
  about antisocial problems such as Social Stigma.
  Ninja
  see Ninja, p. 8
  The ninja has so many ways to enhance sneaking and
  climbing that these define him on outdoor adventures: he scur-
  ries up trees and cliffs to pounce on the group’s enemies.
  Wilderness Adventures: Fleet-footed and a master of Climb-
  ing, Jumping, Stealth, and ranged combat, the ninja is valu-
  able in wilderness action of the athletic, violent variety –
  though he must rely on allies to handle survival tasks. Travel-
  ing light and avoiding urban areas let the ninja enjoy his gifts
  while suffering few of the downsides of the mandatory Vow
  (Own no more than what can be carried) and Social Stigma
  (Minority Group).
  Wilderness Campaigns: A wilderness ninja will benefit from
  Ninja Training abilities such as Lethal Weapon to make sticks
  and rocks deadly; Ninja Tools (keep reading!); One With Shad-
  ows and Silence for lurking; Perfect Balance for climbing up
  high (and Catfall for dropping back down on victims); and
  Super Jump for hurdling inconvenient chasms, rivers, etc.
  Handy mundane advantages are high Basic Move, Flexibility
  (again, for climbing), and Signature Gear (ninja hardware). To
  these traits add skills like First Aid and Observation, plus Bow
  and Fast-Draw (Arrow) for ranged combat – and Light Walk to
  leave no tracks and even run across treetops. Suitable equip-
  ment (Dungeon Fantasy 12: Ninja, pp. 12-19) is essential, par-
  ticularly alongside Ninja Tools and Signature Gear; consider
  the folding raft, inflatable tabi, neko-de (for climbing), ninja’s
  firebox, ninja-to saya (as a snorkel), waterproof torch, and any
  Stealth-enhancing ninja suit.
  Scholar
  see Sages, pp. 8-9
  The scholar isn’t the burden that his books are. Given time
  to study a place, he can survive there. Even without prepara-
  tion, he can recollect and guess enough to guide and support
  the party in any environment.
  Wilderness Adventures: A scholar’s core advantages are
  incredibly useful outdoors: Book-Learned Wisdom to tem-
  porarily acquire Area Knowledge and Survival skills for any
  region; Eidetic Memory to recall the party’s route; Intuition to
  guess the path; and enhanced Wild Talent to “remember” any
  outdoor skill or spell. To all this add skill at Cartography (for
  mapping the journey) and Observation.
  Wilderness Campaigns: The scholar who specializes in out-
  door adventures is even more useful! Good advantage picks
  are Absolute Direction, Speak with Animals, and improve-
  ments to Per, Book-Learned Wisdom, Eidetic Memory, and
  Wild Talent. His primary skills should include an outdoors-
  oriented Hidden Lore specialty; secondary skills, several of
  Naturalist, Pharmacy (Herbal), Poisons, Prospecting, and
  Traps, plus Crossbow or Sling for ranged combat; and back-
  ground skills, a few of Climbing, First Aid, Hiking, Naviga-
  tion, Riding, Stealth, and Survival. Use cash or Signature
  Gear to acquire a collection of maps (Dungeon Fantasy 4:
  Sages, p. 14). Avoid Bad Sight and Hard of Hearing, however
  – these flaws, while archetypal, are crippling when dealing
  with long sightlines and concealed ambushers.
  Scout
  see Adventurers, pp. 10-11
  One of three dedicated wilderness archetypes, the scout is
  an outdoorsman on a par with the barbarian (pp. 4-5), his
  archery expertise complementing the latter’s melee might.
  Wilderness Adventures: The scout is an expert at Camou-
  flage, Observation, Survival, and Tracking, and adept at Car-
  tography, Climbing, Hiking, Mimicry, and Navigation. High
  Per and Outdoorsman help here, and also grant respectable
  defaults with other outdoor skills. Mastery of Bow – alongside
  fair Stealth and Traps – extend the scout’s dominance from
  survival to guerrilla combat.
  Wilderness Campaigns: A scout who focuses on outdoor pur-
  suits in themselves rather than as a complement to archery 
  and bounty hunting should consider acquiring Absolute Direc-
  tion and raising some of Per, Basic Move, and Outdoorsman. 
  WHO GOES THERE?
  8
  
  He should also think about dedicating background skill
  points to improving the skills noted above and adding the
  likes of Boating, First Aid, Prospecting, Riding, Running,
  Skiing, Swimming, and Weather Sense. A scout can pay
  for much of this with disadvantages that won’t hold him
  back in the wilds: Intolerance (Urbanites), Phobia
  (Crowds), Vows such as “Never sleep indoors” or “Own no
  more than what can be carried,” and so on.
  Shaman
  see Summoners, pp. 16-17
  Usually hailing from primitive tribes, shamans live
  close to nature – and most possess at least some gifts of
  direct utility around animals, plants, and wild places.
  Wilderness Adventures: Even the most spaced-out
  mushroom-eater is of use outdoors, being capable at
  Naturalist, Pharmacy (Herbal), Stealth, Survival, and
  Weather Sense.
  Wilderness Campaigns: The nature guardian is an
  important shaman archetype; many folks see all shamans
  this way. On the mundane side, he should select advan-
  tage options such as Animal Friend, Outdoorsman, Tem-
  perature Tolerance, and better Per, plus skills in the vein
  of Area Knowledge, Bow, Camouflage, Cartography, Fish-
  ing, Navigation, Observation, Riding, Sling, and Traps.
  When it comes to the supernatural, essential gifts are
  Allies (pp. 10-15) such as animals and spirits of place . . .
  but there are many appropriate Shamanic abilities,
  notably Absolute Direction, Animal Empathy, Plant
  Empathy, Speak with Animals, and Speak with Plants.
  Spells mainly handle nature spirits (Affect Spirits, Astral
  Block, Astral Vision, Bind Spirit, Command Spirit, Entrap
  Spirit, Materialize, Pentagram, Repel Spirits, Solidify,
  Turn Spirit, and Sense Spirit), but there’s practical magic,
  too: Beast Summoning, Predict Weather, Rider Within, Sense
  Observation, etc. Shamans can get many disadvantage points
  from things like Low TL, reduced Wealth, and social problems
  that won’t matter a week’s hike from the nearest settlement.
  Swashbuckler
  see Adventurers, pp. 11-12
  The dashing swordsman isn’t a wilderness archetype.
  Though he can skewer bandits with aplomb, his highest prior-
  ity should be learning outdoor skills.
  Wilderness Adventures: To be useful, any swashbuckler relies
  on the GM sending a steady stream of enemies at the PCs. This
  remains true in wild places – he’s a fighter, not an outdoorsman.
  The best one can say is that with high Basic Move and Stealth,
  he’ll be able to keep up and participate in ambushes.
  Wilderness Campaigns: The wilderness swashbuckler should
  spend some of his many advantage points on Basic Speed or
  Basic Move for speedy travel, and Perfect Balance for climbing
  trees and dashing across rolling logs. To be more useful, he
  ought to pick Climbing, First Aid, and Hiking – and perhaps Sea-
  manship, if his outdoor life is the pirate’s life. Truthfully, if any-
  body needs the Wilderness-Trained lens (p. 5), it’s this guy . . .
  the GM may let the player divert starting advantage points
  toward this, even if that isn’t an option for other PCs. Finally,
  spare swords are essential for those who lack the “insurance” of
  Signature Gear; a swordsman who shatters his only blade 500
  miles from the closest armorer is worthless.
  Thief
  see Adventurers, pp. 12-13
  Swift travel, frequent climbs, watching from afar, and
  sneaky tactics describe outdoor adventures – and thieving.
  Assuming that thieves are strictly urban can be a fatal error.
  Wilderness Adventures: Every thief contains the makings of
  a highwayman, pirate, or other outdoor rapscallion. Excellent
  Per means being a natural at key outdoor skills; high Basic
  Move benefits travel; and Flexibility and Perfect Balance
  almost guarantee success at Stunts (pp. 28-29). Add fiendish
  skill at Climbing and Stealth, and toss in Traps for deadly sur-
  prises (Traps, pp. 36-37), and the thief excels at guerilla warfare
  (if not at pitching tents).
  Wilderness Campaigns: The wilderness thief bumps all that
  up a notch and threatens to unseat the scout (pp. 8-9) in many
  regards. He might boost Per and Basic Move even more, and
  tack on Gizmos to produce food and survival basics (doubtless
  stolen!). Then he can pick Bow, Crossbow, or Sling for long-
  range engagements; learn Cartography, Hiking, and Observa-
  tion; and maybe add Poisons for plant toxins, or Seamanship
  if he is a pirate. And note that it’s hard to get in trouble with
  traits like Compulsive Spending and Social Stigma (Criminal
  Record) when adventuring far from civilization.
  WHO GOES THERE?
  9
  Super Naturals
  Not all men are created equal. That goes double for races! A
  few nonhumans from The Next Level are particularly suited to
  wilderness adventures:
  • Air-infused can use Walk on Air (or Flight, with power-ups)
  to scout, while water-infused are naturals at adventures involving
  bodies of water.
  • Celestials and infernals don’t all have useful gifts, but many
  don’t breathe (and can venture underwater), can fly, and/or have
  Temperature Tolerance.
  • Elves may add a Talent – Forest Guardian – that’s of great
  value outdoors, especially in woodlands. Wood elves start with
  this. Mountain elves’ vision, sea elves’ underwater gifts, and
  winged elves’ flight make them good at scouting.
  • Faerie folk are highly thematic for wilderness gaming.
  Fauns have Animal Empathy and good Per, leprechauns can
  cherry-pick three druidic spells, and pixies can fly. Nymphs enjoy
  no special advantages outdoors, however.
  • Gargoyles can fly, and blend in well in rocky environments.
  • Lizard men are naturally adapted for desert or swamp
  movement, depending on their tribe.
  • Trolls, with Discriminatory Smell and high Per, are scarily
  good trackers.
  • Wildmen enjoy high Per and a raft of relevant advantages:
  Animal Empathy, Brachiator, Call of the Wild, Fur, and Temper-
  ature Tolerance.
  Beast-men (cat-folk, coleopterans, dragon-blooded, etc.) are
  thematic, but be aware that they aren’t necessarily good at out-
  door tasks.
  
  Wizard
  see Adventurers, p. 13
  Mana, not whether there’s a roof overhead, influences wiz-
  ardly magic. Animal, Plant, and Weather spells are off-limits,
  but that leaves plenty of tricks for outdoor adventuring.
  Wilderness Adventures: The wizard, like the cleric (pp. 5-6),
  does what he always does: casts spells. Provided that the GM
  doesn’t declare that vast regions lack mana, a wizard’s magic is
  as useful outdoors as underground.
  Wilderness Campaigns: For the true wilderness wizard, good
  advantages are Gizmos (which can conjure survival basics, not
  just occult oddities) and Photographic Memory (to recall
  routes). Wise skill selections include Cartography, Climbing,
  First Aid, Hiking, and Stealth; Hidden Lore (Nature Spirits) and
  Physiology for outdoor monster types; and Sling for hitting dis-
  tant targets when magic fails. Intelligent spell choice is critical.
  There are countless options, but the best are in the colleges of
  Food and Water (anything that creates or spins out food or
  water is worthwhile!), as well as Air (No-Smell for throwing
  trackers off the trail, Walk on Air for scouting, etc.), Fire (from
  Ignite Fire for campfires to Resist Cold, Resist Fire, and Warmth
  for harsh weather), Knowledge (especially Find Direction, Path -
  finder, Remember Path, and Tell Position), Making and Break-
  ing (when vital gear breaks in the boondocks, Repair is a
  life-saver), and Movement (from Quick March for hiking,
  through Flight for scouting, to Cloud-Vaulting for rapid travel).
  As for disadvantages, avoid Frightens Animals and Pyromania.
  WHO GOES THERE?
  10
  Gamers uninterested in playing outdoorsmen should
  check out the Allies in Dungeon Fantasy 15: Henchmen –
  and those in Dungeon Fantasy 5: Allies or Dungeon Fantasy
  9: Summoners, if their PC has supernatural capabilities.
  These offer inexpensive ways for players who prefer dun-
  geon- or town-oriented activities to contribute on outdoor
  adventures. For instance, a mundane henchman built on 50%
  of his master’s points and around constantly (¥4) costs 8
  points, or just over half as much as the Wilderness-Trained
  lens (p. 5), yet can easily afford high levels of every skill on
  that lens. An extra body does mean more rations, tents,
  horses, and arguments – and more people to drag up moun-
  tains and hide in the bushes – but a strong, wilderness-savvy
  assistant is nearly always a net asset.
  HENCHMEN
  A few henchmen from Henchmen are “naturals” at wilder-
  ness adventure:
  Archer: A ranged combatant with skill 16+ is handy. As well,
  it’s easy to get most of the skills on the Wilderness-Trained lens
  at decent levels by making suitable secondary and background
  choices, and then boosting these with some of Absolute Direc-
  tion, Outdoorsman, and better Per. Players seeking such archers
  should specify that they’re interested in the “scout” build under
  Customization Notes.
  Initiate: Going in the “Nature-Worshipper” direction for per-
  sonality, and selecting the “Druid” special abilities and spells,
  yields a capable outdoorsman. Players searching for such assis-
  tants may specify all of this, and should consider requesting the
  “hermit” or “itinerant” skill set under Customization Notes.
  Sage: This choice becomes a good one if suitable skills are
  selected – notably, higher Cartography, plus Naturalist, Navi-
  gation, Observation, Pharmacy (Herbal), Prospecting, and Sur-
  vival. Recruiters might seek a mapmaker or a naturalist,
  depending on whether they’re trying to avoid boring course-
  plotting or get an advisor on wilderness dangers.
  Heroes on a budget might even skimp down to 62-point
  henchmen. If so, the least-bad choices are:
  Cultist: A druid followed by a cultist can cast larger out-
  doors-oriented spells using ceremonial magic. The energy
  increase is often enough to benefit more than one extra person,
  making the additional party member a net win. It’s reasonable
  to ask that such NPCs know Naturalist, Pharmacy (Herbal),
  and outdoorsy secondary and background skills.
  Laborer: A porter with extreme Lifting ST can carry enough
  supplies to cover his presence and then some. The “savage
  pack-bearer” under Customization Notes is of at least some use
  for his outdoor skills, too.
  Conversely, delvers with points to burn may prefer extra-
  capable Allies. If so, two lenses are worth a look:
  ALLIES
  Gandalf: I am looking for someone to share in an adventure that
  I am arranging, and it’s very difficult to find anyone.
  Bilbo: I should think so – in these parts! We are plain quiet folk
  and have no use for adventures. Nasty disturbing uncomfortable
  things! Make you late for dinner!
  – J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit
  
  Priest: With the Outdoorsman advantage – and the “Druid”
  disadvantages and special abilities – this lens can turn any tem-
  plate into a capable wilderness spellcaster. The skill choices
  allow for respectable levels of Esoteric Medicine (Druidic), Herb
  Lore, Naturalist, Pharmacy (Herbal), and Weather Sense, too.
  Treasure-Hunter: If the GM allows the henchman’s master to
  specify someone who hunts treasure outdoors, then it’s quite
  possible to get an expert at, say, Prospecting and many sorts of
  Survival, perhaps with nice adjuncts like Danger Sense, Lifting
  ST, and high Per.
  Finally, a player who’s willing to spend points on a perma-
  nent Ally at the beginning of a wilderness adventure may get
  someone specifically suited to upcoming events. The GM
  might even let him specify advantages and skills! The trade-
  off? Such a henchman is precisely what’s needed this time
  but possibly never again. If the GM permits heroes to hire
  guides, though, they won’t be such paragons but merely ran-
  dom, greedy locals.
  Native Guide
  62 points
  You’re an expert on the region where you live and the ter-
  rain that dominates its interior. Nobody’s pack-bearer, you’re
  a self-motivated outdoorsman whose goals happen to align
  with the heroes’. You’re most likely impressionable, greedy,
  or bored, but it’s possible that you’re an outcast among your
  people – or alternatively, the “chosen one,” acting on some
  prophecy about foreigners showing up on a great quest.
  Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 10 [0]; IQ 10 [0]; HT 12 [20].
  Secondary Characteristics: Damage 1d-2/1d; BL 20 lbs.; HP
  10 [0]; Will 10 [0]; Per 13 [15]; FP 12 [0]; Basic Speed 6.00
  [10]; Basic Move 6 [0].
  Advantages: Absolute Direction [5]. • 10 points chosen from
  among ST or HT +1 [10], Per +1 or +2 [5/level], FP +1 to +3
  [3/level], Basic Move +1 or +2 [5/level], Acute Senses (any)
  [2/level], Animal Friend 1 or 2 [5/level], Eidetic Memory [5]
  or Photographic Memory [10], Fearlessness [2/level], Fit [5],
  Flexibility [5], Lifting ST 1-3 [3/level], Night Vision 1-9
  [1/level], Outdoorsman 1 [10], Penetrating Voice [1], Resist-
  ant to Disease (+3) or (+8) [3 or 5], or Temperature
  Tolerance 1 or 2 [1 or 2].
  Disadvantages: -30 points chosen from among Greed [-15*],
  Gullibility [-10*], Language: Spoken (Native)/Written (None)
  [-3], Low TL 1 or 2 [-5 or -10], Odious Personal Habit (Unre-
  fined manners) [-5], Overconfidence [-5*], Phobia (Machin-
  ery) [-5*], Sense of Duty (Adventuring companions) [-5],
  Social Stigma (Minority Group) [-10], Stubbornness [-5],
  Vow (Never sleep indoors) [-10], or Wealth (Struggling or
  Poor) [-10 or -15].
  Primary Skills: Area Knowledge (region of adventure) (E)
  IQ+2 [4]-12; Navigation (Land) (A) IQ+2 [1]-12†; and Sur-
  vival (local terrain type) (A) Per+1 [4]-14.
  Secondary Skills: Hiking (A) HT [2]-12; Tracking (A) Per-1
  [1]-12; and Weather Sense (A) IQ [2]-10. • One of Knife (E)
  DX+1 [2]-11; or Axe/Mace, Broadsword, Shortsword, Spear,
  or Staff, all (A) DX [2]-10. • One of Thrown Weapon (Spear
  or Stick) (E) DX+1 [2]-11; Bolas, Bow, Lasso, or Spear
  Thrower, all (A) DX [2]-10; or Blowpipe or Sling, both (H)
  DX-1 [2]-9. • One 10-point skill package that matches the
  Survival specialty:
  Arctic: One of Skating or Skiing, both (H) HT+1 [8]-13, and the
  other at HT-1 [2]-11.
  Desert: Animal Handling (Camels) (A) IQ [2]-10 and Riding
  (Camel) (A) DX+2 [8]-12.
  Island/Beach: Boating (Unpowered) (A) DX+1 [4]-11; Fishing 
  (E) Per [1]-13; Navigation (Sea) (A) IQ+2 [1]-12†; Observation
  (A) Per-1 [1]-12; Seamanship (E) IQ+1 [2]-11; and Swim-
  ming (E) HT [1]-12.
  Jungle or Woodlands: Camouflage (E) IQ+1 [2]-11; Mimicry
  (Animal Sounds or Bird Calls) (H) IQ [4]-10; and Stealth (A)
  DX+1 [4]-11.
  Mountain: Climbing (A) DX+2 [8]-12 and Prospecting (A) IQ
  [2]-10.
  Plains: Animal Handling (Equines) (A) IQ [2]-10 and Riding
  (Horse) (A) DX+2 [8]-12.
  Swampland: Boating (Unpowered) (A) DX [2]-10; Camouflage
  (E) IQ+1 [2]-11; Stealth (A) DX+1 [4]-11; and Swimming (E)
  HT+1 [2]-13.
  Background Skills: 4 points spent on known skills, skills from
  other terrain specialties, or Forced Entry, Jumping, or
  Knot-Tying, all (DX/E); Acrobatics (DX/H); First Aid or Ges-
  ture, both (IQ/E); Armoury (Melee Weapons or Missile
  Weapons), Disguise (Animals), or Traps, all (IQ/A); Natural-
  ist, Pharmacy (Herbal), Poisons, or Veterinary, all (IQ/H);
  or Running (HT/A).
  * Multiplied for self-control number; see p. B120.
  † Includes +3 for Absolute Direction.
  Lens
  Seasoned (+63 points): Improve attributes to ST 11 [10], DX 11
  [20], and IQ 11 [20], for 50 points; let HP, Will, and Per
  increase by one each as a result, but hold Basic Speed at 6.00,
  for -5 points; spend another 15 points on listed advantages;
  increase all DX-, IQ-, and Per-based skills by one to reflect
  attribute increases; and spend another 3 points on skills.
  Customization Notes
  Select area and terrain of specialty, and then pick advan-
  tages and additional skills to match. Suggestions:
  Arctic: With two HT-based skills and likely the need to make
  many HT rolls for cold – to avoid losing FP, which also depend
  on HT – spending all 10 advantage points on +1 to HT is smart,
  though +1 FP, Fit, and Temperature Tolerance 2 do better for
  pure cold-resistance. Select Axe/Mace for your ice axe, and
  spend background points on improved Hiking for snowshoe-
  ing, and perhaps Fishing for exploiting holes in sea ice.
  Desert or Plains: Animal Friend 2 is a good advantage invest-
  ment, cheaply raising both specialty skills and opening the door
  to other animal skills – though a desert guide who fears being
  left in the heat might consider the advantage advice for arctic
  guides. Select Broadsword for a cavalry saber and Bow for long-
  range shooting, and look at background skills Observation for
  long vistas and Veterinary for caring for mounts.
  Island/Beach: Guides who operate near the sea customarily
  have excellent eyesight, so think about adding Acute Vision
  and raising Per. As for skills, go with Axe/Mace or Spear for the
  traditional boarding axe or boarding pike, and then add Knot-
  Tying to better suit the stereotype, improve Fishing to be
  invaluable to the group bent on living off the land, and raise
  Observation to become a useful lookout.
  WHO GOES THERE?
  11
  
  Jungle or Woodlands: Both environments offer low visibil-
  ity and many opportunities to get lost, so Eidetic Memory is
  useful. Also consider Acute Hearing to detect enemies sneak-
  ing around in the bushes, and Penetrating Voice for calling to
  lost allies. Delvers tend to expect such guides to be skilled at
  ambushes, so after Shortsword for the machete or Staff for
  the walking stick, look at Blowpipe for poison darts, and
  some of Gesture, Poisons, and Traps.
  Mountain: Climbing is key, so grab the
  Flexibility advantage (for a cheap +3 to
  skill) and Lifting ST (to circumvent
  encumbrance penalties). Good combat
  skills are Lasso, which can snag hand-
  holds as well as enemies, and those for
  weapons that leave a hand free to hang on,
  like Axe/Mace to swing a piolet. Then con-
  sider Acrobatics, Jumping, and Knot-
  Tying, for obvious reasons.
  Swampland: As swamps are unhealthy
  places, Fit and Resistant to Disease are
  good investments – although swamps are
  often trackless, too, making Eidetic Mem-
  ory nice. Spear or Staff for a long stick is
  very useful, and Thrown Weapon (Spear)
  follows if you use a spear. When most of
  the group falls ill from swamp lung, Phar-
  macy (Herbal) can ensure that you’re seen
  as indispensable.
  Disadvantages are mostly a function
  of individual motivation. The classic
  guide has Greed, Overconfidence, and
  Social Stigma, and comes across as a
  weird foreigner out to sell his “amazing”
  wilderness skills to rich travelers setting
  out for his homeland. But a Poor young-
  ster with Gullibility and Sense of Duty –
  following the heroes whether they like it
  or not – is an old standby, as is the proud,
  easily spooked primitive who can’t read,
  has Low TL, and generally dislikes tech-
  nology and indoor settings.
  A hero who wants a top-notch guide
  can dish out double points – or, if the GM
  allows hiring, double pay – to get someone
  with the Seasoned lens. Follow the above
  advice on advantages and skills, but try to
  get everything that’s recommended. The GM might even have
  seasoned guides use their extra skill points for Area Knowledge
  (second area) (E) IQ+1 [2]-12 and Survival (second terrain) (A)
  Per-1 [1]-13, so that they’re effectively two-for-one deals.
  CRITTERS
  While animal companions are thematic for wilderness
  adventures, humanoid Allies cost fewer points and make better
  assistants for complex tasks (sailing, digging pits, brewing
  toadstool poisons, etc.). Still, beasts have their uses – if only
  bearing burdens – and tend to boast high levels of outdoor
  skills, some of which can benefit their masters.
  It fits Dungeon Fantasy to allow extraordinary animals with
  SM 0 or more (not tiny kitties and bunnies!) to use Fishing or
  Survival on behalf of their masters when it comes to finding
  food or shelter: they drop tasty rats at the heroes’ feet, lead the
  adventurers to bear-free caves, and so on. Creatures of any size
  can employ Tracking freely, although something like speech is
  needed to communicate complex ideas like “This is a false
  trail” or “There were four of them.” And while beasts can’t
  learn Riding, Mount is incredibly handy for critters that can be
  ridden – having any points in it gives
  the master +1 to Riding or enables
  him to use the average of the two
  skills (round up), if better.
  While such Allies can know and
  use Area Knowledge, Observation,
  Naturalist, and Weather Sense, their
  ability to inform their master of details
  is another thing limited by communi-
  cation. Druids who plan to use hawks
  as scouts should invest in being able to
  communicate with them!
  Animals can also have Aerobatics,
  Climbing, Flight, Hiking, Stealth,
  Swimming, and similar movement or
  concealment skills. Except when the
  GM lets beasts roll against Climbing
  or Swimming to rescue falling or
  drowning masters, though, these are
  strictly for personal use. And even
  fantasy animals can’t learn skills for
  vehicles, survival gear, or other tech-
  nology; e.g., Boating, Cartography,
  Esoteric Medicine (Druidic), First
  Aid, Herb Lore, Navigation, Phar-
  macy (Herbal), Piloting, Poisons,
  Prospecting, Teamster, and Traps.
  The GM will have to adjudicate
  stranger cases as they arise. For
  instance, few beasts learn Camou-
  flage, Disguise (Animals), or Mim-
  icry, because they are animals and
  come with natural camouflage,
  scents, and sound effects. If a tem-
  plate lists such a skill, though, it
  works normally. The GM might even
  let the Ally use Camouflage or Dis-
  guise (Animals) on its master by rub-
  bing all over him, peeing on him, etc.
  Finally, remember that because wild
  places in Dungeon Fantasy are home to giant and dire ani-
  mals, chimeras, and so on, even a weird Ally is apt to be seen
  as “just an animal.” If a critter won’t be allowed into inns (or
  town), then it’s only fair to assume that bad guys who aren’t
  specifically looking out for a druid’s pet or a wizard’s familiar,
  and who have no way to identify such companions, will over-
  look it in the wilderness. The GM should have most enemies –
  even intelligent ones – ignore mice, birds, and so on, and
  regard larger beasts as dangers, or food at worst, but not
  spies. However, when a creature isn’t native to the terrain,
  like an anaconda in the arctic, it’s also reasonable to give
  observers – including delvers, when the shoe is on the other
  foot – a Naturalist skill roll to realize this, with success mean-
  ing they have cause to suspect magic.
  WHO GOES THERE?
  12
  
  Animal Allies
  Druids selecting Allies to match the adventure – or the
  quest best-suited to their pets – might want to weigh the rel-
  ative merits (besides “eating my enemies”) of the creatures
  from pp. 6-11 of Allies. In all cases, don’t lose sight of the fact
  that while these beings can understand their master, they
  have IQ 6 and no special ability to speak back, much less
  report telepathically.
  Anaconda: A powerful aquatic scout and swampland Ally,
  more than capable of rescuing its master from deep water 
  or quicksand.
  Bear or Boar: Good at finding food and shelter in wood-
  lands, but not particularly versatile.
  Giant Eagle: An unparalleled aerial scout if its master can
  communicate with it.
  Gorilla: An expert climber who, thanks to its hands, can con-
  tribute its skill to group mountaineering efforts. Can also be con-
  scripted to topple trees, roll rocks, etc. (“gorilla warfare”).
  Great Cat: A superior terrestrial scout (communications
  permitting), hunter in plains terrain, and rescue swimmer.
  Cheetahs also offer swift messenger service for light items!
  Hound: The best tracker, a useful extra hunter in plains
  (mountains, for the wolf), and a good swimmer.
  Insect Swarm: Not precisely a skilled scout, but capable of
  letting a master who can communicate with it know what’s
  going on – in a general way – over a half-mile radius.
  Kangaroo: A capable forager in plains terrain and, far bet-
  ter, a swift messenger with serious payload capacity.
  Kraken: Mostly useful for rescuing its master if he falls over-
  board, and maybe adding a little extra seafood to his diet.
  Shark: Though useless on land, this is the best aquatic
  tracker, a respectable hunter at sea, and a powerful mount.
  Stallion: The only Ally useful for transportation or mounted
  combat on land, and not bad at helping its master survive in
  plains terrain.
  Wolverine: A competent scout and tracker on land, able to
  aid survival in woodlands, and the only Ally who can help
  delvers dig pits for traps.
  Familiars
  The familiars (“bonded creatures,” to mentalists) on pp. 20-
  29 of Allies are arguably more versatile than animal Allies on
  wilderness adventures. They combine the natural gifts of
  beasts with human-level intellect and built-in two-way speech.
  Most grant their masters helpful outdoor advantages, too.
  Unsurprisingly, they also cost a lot of points!
  The Telepathic lens makes a familiar especially valuable
  in an outdoor setting. This lets it give the equivalent of a
  verbal report while scouting up to 100 miles away, turning
  even the weakest critter into an exceptional spy. Regardless
  of whether the familiar has that lens, the master who buys
  himself the Shared Sight lens can use his pet’s senses
  remotely, which is superior to letting the creature look and
  hoping that it reports the right details (when in doubt, roll
  vs. the beast’s IQ for this).
  Updating the familiar’s orders while it’s on a mission also
  depends on the master’s abilities. Bards and wizards can use
  Communication and Empathy spells, mentalists have Tele-
  send, and anyone can buy the Shared Thoughts lens for him-
  self. In the absence of such capabilities, the master can only
  pray that his pet reacts appropriately to developing situations
  (again, make an IQ roll if the best course isn’t obvious).
  Familiars, like animal Allies, vary a lot in skills and preferred
  terrain. A few notes for delvers weighing their relative merits:
  Bat: An aerial scout whose exceptional senses can penetrate
  fog and darkness. Grants Flight with Controlled Gliding, which
  is helpful when Climbing attempts go wrong.
  Cat: A terrestrial scout with excellent senses and Stealth,
  capable of climbing up high to watch for enemies. The Catfall
  advantage it grants is a lifesaver in mountain terrain.
  Chimp: Too large and boisterous to be the best spy, but
  strong enough to assist group climbing efforts (the granted
  Brachiator advantage aids its master, especially), and large
  enough to help forage in jungle terrain.
  Dog: A superb tracker and sentry (thanks to keen senses and
  speech!), big enough to help hunt in plains terrain and strong
  enough to act as a rescue swimmer. The granted Discrimina-
  tory Smell makes its master a good tracker, too – and Reduced
  Consumption lets that lucky person eat garbage and thus need
  one meal per travel day.
  Giant Spider*: Mainly useful for hanging out in trees (liter-
  ally!) as a spy, though the granted Clinging is exceptionally
  valuable to mountain explorers.
  Hawk: The keenest and swiftest possible eye in the sky. Use
  its Observation skill (14) in place of IQ (10) to answer “Is it
  looking at the right thing?” Offers insurance against bad
  Climbing rolls by granting Flight with Controlled Gliding.
  Hellhound*: More attack beast than hunter, sentry, or
  tracker, this familiar isn’t very useful on wilderness adventures
  that aren’t all about starting wildfires.
  Ice Weasel*: A wonderful scout in arctic terrain, capable of
  dashing over snow at full speed and becoming near-invisible in
  the whiteness! The granted abilities to negotiate icy terrain and
  tolerate frigid temperatures are of great value to arctic travelers.
  Imp*: Almost unfit for outdoor adventure . . . but it can
  scout from the air invisibly, which the GM can keep under con-
  trol by remembering its disadvantages.
  Macaw: The best ear in the sky. Can parrot entire conversa-
  tions it has overheard, in any language, and use its IQ in place
  of any Mimicry skill.
  Owl: A good compromise between bat, hawk, and macaw,
  with excellent night vision and hearing, and Observation-13
  that it can use in place of IQ 10 for judgment calls.
  Rabbit: A swift terrestrial scout – and keen senses and
  Danger Sense make it the best sentry. Granted Super Jump
  comes in very handy around chasms.
  Rat: Unlikely to be noticed (enemy Vision, at -7 for SM, vs.
  Stealth-14) – and even if it is, it’s “only a rat.” Thus, it’s a capa-
  ble spy against even very attentive targets. Granted Reduced
  Consumption lets its master eat random crud to survive on one
  meal per travel day.
  Salamander*: Another minimally useful outdoor assistant,
  though of value if the plan is to set brush fires, forest fires, etc.
  Shoulder Dragon*: A decent aerial scout with the advan-
  tage of being able to spy out magic. Granted Flight with Con-
  trolled Gliding is good security for those who plan to do a lot
  of climbing.
  Sylph*: An adequate aerial scout.
  Talus*: The main appeal is high ST – a talus can be con-
  scripted to pull ropes, roll rocks, and otherwise set off out-
  door traps.
  WHO GOES THERE?
  13
  
  Undine*: A top-notch aquatic scout, capable of telling
  delvers what’s at the bottom of a body of water – or of lurking
  in water to send word of hapless bad guys walking past. The
  granted Amphibious and Doesn’t Breathe let its master explore
  underwater, too.
  Viper: Remarkable senses are the primary attraction. How-
  ever, its venom lets it assist with hunting despite its small size.
  * In any terrain, anyone who notices such a fantastic crea-
  ture may roll vs. Naturalist to deduce that unnatural forces are
  at work. Such familiars are advised to use Stealth!
  SPIRITS
  Even weirder than giant or talking animals, and more
  potentially useful than ordinary henchmen, are the spirits that
  the supernaturally gifted – particularly druids and shamans –
  like to bring on outdoor adventures. A few kinds merit special
  mention in this context.
  Embodied Animal-Spirits
  These entities from pp. 21-22 of Summoners are smarter
  than animal Allies (IQ 8 vs. IQ 6) and better at communicating
  (they can speak to anybody who has Spirit Empathy), making
  them superior scouts and spies. Still, they aren’t in telepathic
  contact with their masters and there’s no easy way to achieve
  this. Scouting consists of traveling to an area of interest, mak-
  ing Per rolls to look around, and then returning to report.
  Make an IQ roll if there’s doubt as to whether the creature fol-
  lowed up an interesting clue.
  Standard embodied animal-spirits are material beings
  large enough (SM 0) that any food or shelter they find with
  their Survival skills will suffice for their mortal associates.
  They can pass as mundane beasts around people who lack
  Spirit Empathy, and overall amount to modest specimens 
  of similar creatures under Animal Allies (p. 13): the bear is
  much smaller; the herd animal could be regarded as a cut-
  down stallion; the huge bird, as a not-so-giant eagle; and the
  predator, as a lesser great cat, hound, or wolverine. The notes
  there still apply – the bear can hunt, the herd animal can be
  ridden, the bird can scout, and the predator can track.
  Setting aside physical impressiveness, the real difference
  between animal Allies and embodied animal-spirits is that the
  latter can perceive and interact with nature spirits. In enchanted
  forests, magical swamps, etc., they might drive off weaker hos-
  tile spirits and warn of the approach of stronger ones. Make a
  Per roll in the latter case.
  Phantom animals aren’t material beings that can bring their
  masters food; however, delvers with such Allies can use the
  spirits’ Survival skills instead of their own, which represents
  the creature guiding them to Nature’s bounty. These powerful
  spirits are also more effective scouts, as they can explore invis-
  ibly and insubstantially, meaning that only spellcasters with
  spells such as Astral Block and Pentagram
  can prevent them from taking a peek. A
  phantom huge bird can go and look almost
  anywhere, and a shaman with any variety of
  phantom Ally might spend some of its extra
  skill points on Observation, which can
  replace IQ when checking whether the entity
  investigated an “interesting” lead.
  Elementals
  Elementals (Summoners, pp. 26-32) are
  in many ways “nature spirits,” and so might
  be useful on wilderness adventures. Like ani-
  mal Allies (p. 13) and animal-spirits (above),
  they sometimes possess capabilities that
  make them valuable scouts, but there’s no
  easy way to communicate with them at a dis-
  tance – after receiving their orders, they
  wander off, act within the limits of their
  (usually low) IQ, and eventually return with
  a report. Unlike beasts, they lack impressive
  Per, are clearly unnatural except when in
  their element, and rarely know Camouflage
  or Stealth. Still, an elemental’s gifts some-
  times make up for this.
  Air Elementals: The predictable gift of
  flight makes these entities handy aerial scouts.
  The minor flight-spirit – with Enhanced Move, Per 12, and the
  ability to speak with birds – is an above-average choice among
  Allies. The spirit of the clouds, with Vision 16 and the ability to
  predict weather (which can substitute for Weather Sense), is
  also valuable. All the rest are thematic, good for little more than
  showing off with natural fury.
  Earth Elementals: The basic elemental isn’t especially use-
  ful, despite obvious ties to nature. However, the inexpensive
  earth servant adds Absolute Direction and the ability to dig pits
  (Burrower); the spirit of the stone can find minerals and walk
  through rock, making it handy on mountain adventures; the
  creature of the soil can walk through earth and speak with
  plants; and the engineer’s friend and earth titan both suit delvers
  who like to drop rocks (or mountains) on enemies.
  WHO GOES THERE?
  14
  Spirits of Place
  These entities from p. 24 of Summoners are so powerful that they qual-
  ify as Patrons rather than Allies. They’re also localized, meaning that players
  who pay points for them reap no benefits outside of specific geographical
  areas. Rather than charge for a near-worthless advantage, it’s the GM’s job
  to stage at least some wilderness adventures – if not the entire campaign –
  on such spirits’ home ground. If that isn’t workable, then it’s fairest to warn
  players against purchasing such Patrons but to allow shamans (and possibly
  other spellcasters with suitable spirit-magic) to cut deals with them, pro-
  vided that the PCs aren’t littering fire-starters (see Despoilers, p. 43). Always
  game out such negotiations!
  If a spirit of place deigns to aid delvers – as their Patron or as part of
  a deal – the GM can assume that it will show them where to find food (or
  anything else in its area), warn them of bad weather, and so on. It knows
  all of the perils native to its domain (though not those brought into it by,
  say, invading evil wizards) and everything that goes on there (save for
  things screened from it by magic). It can even alter the weather and ter-
  rain to a limited extent. It would be fair to let a hero with such a Patron
  use the better of its appearance roll or his final, adjusted skill roll for out-
  door tasks in Chapter 2 that don’t shed blood or despoil the area. That “9
  or less” won’t seem especially impressive next to one’s own Survival-13
  until it’s time to roll at -7 for barren terrain and dreadful weather . . .
  
  Fire Elementals: Such creatures are often liabilities on out-
  door adventures, as fire annoys the residents of most wilder-
  ness areas (see Despoilers, p. 43).
  Metal Elementals: Most such creatures aren’t thematic for
  wilderness fun, though the miner’s minion could prove useful
  when exploring for metal deposits.
  Void, Sound, or Ether Elementals: Though not “tradi-
  tional” elementals, these can fit adventures set in the moun-
  tains. All can fly, which is valuable for scouting – even if it
  is loud and unsubtle. The echo boasts silent flight and
  higher Per, making it a better spy; nothingness and abyss
  can become insubstantial and go anywhere; and the sonic
  power of discord is equivalent to a Thunderclap spell for sig-
  naling or starting avalanches.
  Water Elementals: Complete comfort with water makes these
  entities valuable scouts on marine adventures. The stream spirit
  is especially useful, as it can speak with aquatic plants and ani-
  mals. The GM may let the whirlpool and lord of the tides use
  their attacks to counteract rough water, thereby removing
  penalties to Boating, Swimming, etc.
  Wood Elementals: These are the most interesting case – and
  possibly the most useful elementals on jungle and woodland
  adventures. The plant speaker and woodland spirit have an
  excellent rapport with plants, while the phantom of the forest
  has improved Per and powerful stealth abilities that make it an
  amazing spy. The GM may wish to have all wood elementals
  resemble trees or vines, meaning that observers who fail a roll
  against Per-based Hidden Lore (Nature Spirits) – not Naturalist
  – see vegetation, not a monster.
  Divine Servitors
  Functionally speaking, these beings from pp. 12-19 of
  Allies amount to intelligent humanoids. It’s best to handle
  them like mortal henchmen – albeit henchmen with extraor-
  dinary abilities! Their gifts vary, but some are remarkably
  useful in the wilderness.
  Servitor Lenses
  Natural: Fitting because it adds a Survival specialty that the
  servitor can use to find food, shelter, etc. for the delver – and
  also because it changes the thing’s innate flaws to ones that
  aren’t terribly crippling in natural settings.
  Telepathic: For highly mobile servitors (especially those with
  the Winged lens!), this lens offers the benefits noted for it
  under Familiars (pp. 13-14).
  Winged: The added mobility can turn any servitor – even one
  that’s utterly inimical to Nature – into a powerful aerial scout.
  Celestial Steeds and Holy Hounds
  These servitors offer all the benefits noted under Animal
  Allies (p. 13) – and yes, the hound and stallion usually are the
  best servitors for wilderness-oriented holy warriors.
  Divine Elements
  Every element has its uses, but a few are better out of
  doors. Remember that a normal servitor gets three elements,
  allowing powerful combos such as Nature/Travel (Doubled)
  and Air/Nature/Water, and making it possible to combine one or
  two “outdoor” elements with other kinds (e.g., Good/Life/Travel
  or Nature/Travel/Wisdom).
  Air: Yet another way to get an aerial scout – but if that’s that
  only goal, taking the Winged lens is better than using up an ele-
  ment slot.
  Nature: Clearly a winner on wilderness adventures, with its
  exceptional Naturalist skill (which it can use for its master) and
  facility with plants and animals (particularly when the element
  is doubled to get Speak with Animals and Speak with Plants).
  Travel: The basic special ability multiplies daily travel dis-
  tance by 1.5. In its doubled form, Travel not only grants twice
  daily travel distance, but also provides effective Area Knowl-
  edge of almost all outdoor regions. Arguably, there’s no better
  Ally for travelers!
  Water: One more way to get an amazing aquatic scout.
  WHO GOES THERE?
  15
  Wilderness adventures require different gear from dungeon
  crawls. Wealthy delvers might boast distinct loadouts for each
  situation, along with mounts, vehicles, or porters to lug the
  excess weight. However, not everyone enjoys that luxury.
  Heroes of modest means should consider erring on the side of
  wilderness prep – underground adventures only matter if the
  adventurer survives the trek to reach them!
  Three basic principles hold when choosing wilderness kit:
  Travel Light: Adventurers on foot must 
  keep encumbrance low to travel swiftly (Feet,
  p. 21), minimize missing FP during encoun-
  ters en route (Travel Fatigue, p. 24), 
  and avoid potentially lethal penalties
  in mountains (Mountaineering,
  p. 29) and around water (Water
  Hazards, p. 29). Even vehicles have
  limited cargo capacity. All of this
  argues for lighter packs, weapons, 
  and armor.
  Strike from Afar: The long distances in outdoor encounters
  change the face of battle. Some warriors prefer to be mobile
  enough to close the gap, and either intensify their efforts to
  minimize encumbrance or ride a mount. Others favor ranged
  attacks, making projectiles for blowpipes, bows, slings, and
  other missile weapons a crucial factor – the more, the better!
  The GM might permit reuse of arrows, bullets, darts, etc. on a
  roll of 1 on 1d, or simply assume that 1/6 of shots (rounded up)
  are recoverable; delvers with Heroic Archer are more careful,
  making this 1-2 on 1d or 1/3 of shots; and savvy archers
  buy a Cornucopia Quiver (Adventurers, p. 30).
  Be Prepared: Special gear – if only tents
  and rations – is required to survive on long
  trips away from town. That’s the topic of the
  rest of this section. Much of this stuff adds
  more weight, which seasoned travelers handle
  by bringing extra transportation or going
  lighter on armor (an extra DR 1-2 is wonder-
  ful for a few seconds of combat but weighs as
  much as supplies for weeks of travel).
  EQUIPMENT
  
  GARMENTS
  Savvy wilderness trekkers appreciate the light weight of
  fine, giant spider silk, and orichalcum armor – and the way
  thieves’ mail waives Climbing and Stealth penalties. See p. 27
  of Adventurers for details.
  Magical garb of special interest includes Boots of Balance
  for negotiating treacherous slopes and slippery logs, an
  Ironskin Amulet for near-weightless protection, and armor
  enchanted with Lighten. Learn more about these goodies on
  p. 30 of Adventurers.
  Further items of value appear below. When applying clothing
  modifications, note that a delver starts with ordinary clothing
  that weighs 2 lbs. That’s free regardless of Wealth, but replace-
  ment cost and the price used when applying cost factors (CF) is
  $120. Smart travelers bring extra clothes: $120, 2 lbs. per set.
  Arctic Clothing: Counts as winter clothing and gives +5 to HT
  rolls for cold (p. 30) in arctic climates. Also gives +1 DR vs. all
  damage, but -1 to DX if layered with armor. +1 CF and 5 times
  weight. Upgrade from free starting clothes: +$120, +8 lbs.
  Camouflage Clothing: For one of arctic, desert, jungle/wood-
  lands, mountain, plains, or swampland. Provides a bonus to
  Camouflage, and Stealth vs. Vision, in that terrain: +1 for +2 CF,
  or +2 for +7 CF. Weight is unaffected. Upgrade from free start-
  ing clothes: +$240 (+1) or +$840 (+2).
  Elven Boots: Light boots (DR 1*) specifically designed to foil
  enemy trackers: -2 to Tracking attempts. In a group, only use-
  ful if everybody wears them. $50, 2 lbs.
  Elven Cloak: A heavy cloak bought with the CF for camou-
  flage clothing, matched to a particular terrain type. Gives the
  same bonuses as such clothing when worn, functions as an
  ordinary heavy cloak when wielded. A cloak with only this fea-
  ture is $150 (+1) or $400 (+2), 5 lbs.
  Hobnails: Added to footwear, these cancel the -2 to DX and -1
  to active defenses – though not the movement penalties – for bad
  footing (p. 38), at the cost of -1 to Stealth vs. Hearing. $25, 1 lb.
  Moccasins: Light footwear (DR 1*) optimized for sneaking
  around. Cancels -1 in Stealth penalties for encumbrance,
  crunchy leaves, etc. $40, 1 lb.
  Swarm Suit: Reduces injury from stinging swarms by 1 HP,
  granting immunity to the mundane kind (p. 34). Light and
  tight; layering with armor (which keeps out swarms for only
  five seconds!) gives no DX penalty. Also protects against insect-
  borne disease (Fresh Air Is Good For You, p. 34). $80, 5 lbs.
  Winter Clothing: Prevents -5 to HT rolls for cold (p. 30) in icy
  places such as arctic and high mountain terrain, and gives +1
  DR vs. cutting damage. +0.5 CF and 2.5 times weight. Upgrade
  from free starting clothes: +$60, +3 lbs.
  SURVIVAL GEAR
  Survival isn’t merely a matter of dressing nicely (except 
  at Wizards’ Guild dinners). It calls for all manner of tools
  and supplies.
  Same Old Same Old
  Many 
  tried-and-true 
  items 
  from 
  pp. 23-26 
  of
  Adventurers (and included in the basic kits on pp. 5-6 of
  Dungeon Fantasy 13: Loadouts, for players who find
  gearing-up boring) merit additional notes when using the
  rules in Chapter 2.
  Blades: Tasks that involve sharpening stakes or making
  shelters assume a hatchet or a machete. A weapons-grade
  blade is overkill – a tool-grade ($15) hatchet works fine. The
  generous GM might allow such tasks at -2 with a knife or -5
  with good intentions.
  Blanket/Sleeping Fur: A camper without a bedroll must
  sacrifice some other campsite benefit to sleep in comfort
  (Sites, p. 24). In arctic terrain, only sleeping fur avoids this.
  Canteen/Wineskin: The simplification under Water
  Supplies (p. 43) assumes that each traveler has such an item!
  A group lugging a barrel is also fine. Delvers without must
  roll vs. Survival daily; failure results in the more severe FP
  losses given under Starvation (p. 43).
  Fire: Heroes without Fire spells need fire-starters. Personal
  basics suffice; so does a burning glass, on days with no
  penalty from Nasty Weather (pp. 30-31). Alchemist’s matches
  always work – expending one gives +1 to one fire-related skill
  roll. Pyromaniacs can use alchemist’s fire for +2!
  Fishhooks and Line: Someone without at least this gear
  has -2 on the Fishing rolls in Food and Water (pp. 42-44).
  Group Basics: Parties without this suffer -2 to Survival
  rolls for pitching camp (Sites, p. 24) or building shelter
  (Shelters, pp. 24-25), and to any Survival roll involving a
  combined or group effort.
  Mirrors: On sunny days (no penalty from Nasty
  Weather, pp. 30-31), these enable signaling per Smoke and
  Fire (p. 28) without annoying wilderness denizens who
  disapprove of flame.
  WHO GOES THERE?
  16
  Sage Supplies
  These articles from Sages are especially useful on
  wilderness adventures:
  Cobweb Kite: Falls of 40+ yards are common with outdoor
  Climbing failures. Also useful for descending quickly from
  great heights – make an Aerobatics+2, Acrobatics-2, or DX-4
  roll to steer it to a specific spot (e.g., atop an enemy).
  Dwarven Accurizer: Counts as a telescope for scouting or
  spotting signals.
  Float Coat: A lifesaver around Water Hazards (p. 29) and
  freak waves (p. 33).
  Manuals: Scholars take note that Animal Handling,
  Camouflage, Cartography, Disguise (Animals), Fishing,
  Naturalist, Navigation, Observation, Pharmacy (Herbal),
  Prospecting, Seamanship, Survival, Teamster, Tracking,
  and Weather Sense all count as common knowledge. Herb
  Lore is esoteric knowledge, but might be worth the extra
  cost on an outdoor quest.
  Maps: The $100 map mentioned in Adventurers is anno-
  tated by sage standards. It allows Navigation at +1 and an
  Area Knowledge default (IQ-4) in its area.
  Universal Tool Kit: Meets the needs of all outdoor tasks
  that require tools – cutting down trees, making traps,
  prospecting for minerals, etc.
  Sages should also consider investing in scroll belts,
  scroll cases, and wax tablets to protect their maps and writ-
  ings from the elements.
  
  Musical Instruments: Handy for signaling (Noise, p. 28). Get
  a whistle for everybody; drums and horns are even better.
  Navigation Equipment: Unaided Navigation is at -3, so get a
  miniature sundial (sets the penalty to -1 during daylight) or a
  compass (no penalty). On overcast days, the -1 or -2 for Nasty
  Weather (pp. 30-31) adds to the penalty for no
  gear, and sundials are useless.
  Personal Basics: A hero without basics suf-
  fers -2 to individual Survival rolls to act rather
  than to notice or know something – including
  all rolls in Harsh Climates (p. 30), to rig noise-
  makers (Watches, p. 25) or trap food (Food
  and Water, pp. 42-44), and to set fires.
  Poles: Useful for balancing on ropes over
  chasms, fishing friends out of quicksand
  (p. 33), and field engineering (p. 33).
  Rations: These speed travel by reducing
  the time given over to foraging (Food and
  Water, pp. 42-44). Elven rations are light
  enough not to impact encumbrance much.
  Rope!!! Most outdoor tasks – especially
  those described in Mountaineering (p. 29),
  Obstacles (pp. 31-32), and Traps (pp. 36-37) –
  assume the party has rope. Rope greatly ben-
  efits Field Engineering (p. 33), too. Load every-
  body to the limit with rope.
  Shovel: Digging a covered pit (p. 36) takes
  four times as long without one.
  Telescope: Good for Scouting (pp. 25-26)
  and spotting signals (Signaling, p. 28).
  Tents: Count as shelters (pp. 24-25), without which campers
  suffer FP losses.
  Treasures Worth Keeping
  Dungeon Fantasy 8: Treasure Tables describes oodles of
  gear of value to wilderness explorers. Adventurers in town may
  buy anything under Climbing and Lifting (Treasure Tables,
  p. 21) or Survival (Treasure Tables, pp. 24-25) – and the goods
  below – rather than wait to find these things. Such equipment
  is available from better expedition outfitters everywhere!
  Astrolabe/Quadrant: Give bonuses to Cartography and Nav-
  igation (+1 for quadrant, +2 for astrolabe), not cumulative with
  other equipment bonuses.
  Druidic Fertilizer: Each dose used causes a single gather-
  ing attempt with Naturalist or Survival (Food and Water,
  pp. 42-44) to yield meals equal to margin of success plus one,
  if the party stops for at least an hour. Alternatively, a dose
  can let a traveler attempt the Quick Contest of Tracking to
  conceal his trail for one day without reducing speed; see
  Tracking (pp. 27-28).
  Endurance Items: Can “soak up” any kind of mundane FP
  loss incurred on the road (Sick and Tired, p. 23).
  Furniture: Campers with mattresses or couches always
  sleep in comfort (Sites, p. 24). They’ll need it after moving
  house like this!
  Nightingale Carpet: Gives +2 to the roll to set noisemakers
  around a camp (Watches, p. 24).
  Parasol: Protects against sunburn and grants +1 to HT rolls
  vs. heat (Harsh Climates, p. 30). Occupies one hand.
  Safety Matches: As for alchemist’s matches, expending one
  gives +1 to one fire-related skill roll.
  Spices: Chiles, huajiao, and pepper (black or white) give
  “hot on the trail” (pp. 27-28) a whole new meaning! Up to four
  one-ounce doses can be deployed per day; make an IQ-based
  Tracking roll each time. Success causes scent trackers to roll
  vs. HT-3 or lose one hour of time.
  And More!
  Explorers always appreciate new gear that solves problems
  – especially if they have henchmen to schlep it all.
  Bug Juice: Protects vs. insect-borne disease (Fresh Air Is
  Good for You, p. 34), but stinks: -1 to Stealth, +1 to enemy
  scent-based Tracking. Per daily dose: $2. 50 doses weigh 1 lb.
  Dwarven Bagpipes: The loudest nonmagical noisemaker
  known! For signaling, see Noise (p. 28). Also designed to be as
  good as Sound spells for the specific purpose of starting rock-
  slides (Go with the Flow, p. 35). $300, 8 lbs.
  Elven Blind: Netting for concealing tents, parked wagons,
  etc. Total the Occupancy of every vehicle and the capacity of
  every shelter. Each blind covers four places’ worth of people,
  giving an extra +1 to the party’s Camouflage roll in any terrain;
  see Sites (p. 24). $160, 8 lbs.
  Face Paint: Popular with scouts and ninja, this improves the
  bonus from camouflage clothing or an elven cloak (Garments,
  p. 16) by another +1 for two hours. No bonus by itself. Specify
  terrain type. Per use: $1. 50 uses weigh 1 lb.
  Fire Arrow: Arrows for signaling (Smoke and Fire, p. 28) can
  be used in combat: -2 to hit, but do 1 point of linked burning
  damage (apply to DR separately). Must be shot within three
  seconds of ignition. No effect on cost or weight.
  Fire Arrow, Alchemical: As fire arrow, but smaller, hotter
  fuel packet avoids the -2 to hit without loss of potency. +1.5 CF.
  Gnomish Army Knife: A mind-boggling spectacle of blades,
  flints, spoons, etc., for adventurers who begrudge the 1 lb. for
  personal basics (which it replaces). $100, neg.
  Lantern Balloon: A little rice-paper balloon with a small can-
  dle inside. Sends a signal light skyward when lit (Smoke and
  Fire, p. 28). Single-use. $10, 0.75 lb.
  WHO GOES THERE?
  17
  Machete Table
  These machetes are weapons-grade. Tool-grade ones have -0.6 CF and
  give -1 to skill in combat.
  Weapon
  Damage
  Reach
  Parry
  Cost
  Weight
  ST
  BROADSWORD (DX-5, Rapier-4, Saber-4, Shortsword-2, or
  Two-Handed Sword-4)
  Huge Machete
  sw+2 cut
  1
  0U
  $625
  4.5
  11
  or
  thr-1 imp
  1
  0U
  –
  –
  11
  KNIFE (DX-4, Main-Gauche-3, or Shortsword-3)
  Small Machete
  sw-1 cut
  C, 1
  0
  $50
  1.5
  7
  or
  thr-1 imp
  C
  0
  –
  –
  7
  SHORTSWORD (DX-5, Broadsword-2, Jitte/Sai-3, Knife-4,
  Saber-4, Smallsword-4, or Tonfa-3)
  Machete
  sw+1 cut
  1
  0
  $400
  3
  10
  or
  thr-1 imp
  1
  0
  –
  –
  10
  
  Machete: Heavy chopping “swords” are equivalent to hatchets
  for woodcrafts. For weapon stats, see Machete Table (p. 17).
  Mapping Kit: Specialized tools and rulers give +1 to Cartog-
  raphy rolls to make maps. $50, 2 lbs.
  Piolet: A climber’s axe, designed to act as a walking stick, ice
  pick, etc. Gives +1 to Climbing rolls for Mountaineering (p. 29)
  and sheer rock faces, cumulative with other gear. A modifica-
  tion for any one-handed axe, hatchet, or pick: +4 CF.
  Tent, Heavy: For campers worried about attacks. Gives
  cover DR 1. Weighs 1.5 times as much as an ordinary tent of
  its capacity. +0.5 CF.
  Tent, Spider-Silk: For campers who travel light. Half the
  weight of an ordinary tent of its size, and looks kind of creepy.
  Can also be heavy! +19 CF.
  Yurt: Portable felt shelter with collapsible wooden frame
  gives cover DR 1. Makes comfort (Sites, p. 24) “cost” one fewer
  benefit, so it counts as free to those with bedrolls, as one benefit
  for those without. For five: $480, 200 lbs. For 10: $1,200, 500 lbs.
  TRANSPORTATION
  Travel (pp. 20-24) is an essential part of wilderness explo-
  ration. For delvers whose journey into Nature isn’t the thrust
  of the adventure, but merely incidental to visiting yet another
  dungeon, it’s the whole deal. Outfitters in town sell transporta-
  tion solutions for every budget.
  Personal Mobility
  There are many ways to circumvent the unfavorable travel-
  speed modifiers in Terrain Types (p. 22). See Feet (p. 21) and
  Tricky Environments (pp. 38-39) for further details.
  Doom Cleats: A dwarven weapon of war, these wicked foot
  spikes also grant Terrain Adaptation (Ice). On arctic terrain
  defined as icy rather than snowy, let the wearer ignore all
  effects of bad footing (p. 38) and hike at full speed (not at
  ¥0.50). Give +2 to kicking damage and +1 to Climbing, too, at
  the cost of -2 to Stealth vs. Hearing and +2 to enemy Track-
  ing rolls. Permanently attached to DR 2+ foot armor (boots,
  sollerets, etc.). $400, 4 lbs.
  Sandshoes: On desert or island/beach terrain defined as
  loose sand rather than hard, let the wearer hike at half speed
  (not at ¥0.20). Can work as snowshoes at -2 to Hiking. Attach
  temporarily to footwear. $100, 5 lbs.
  Skates: On arctic terrain defined as icy rather than snowy,
  let the wearer use Skating skill to move at ¥1.25 speed on level
  ground (not at ¥0.50). Give +1 to kicking damage, too. Attach
  temporarily to footwear. $60, 3 lbs.
  Skis: On arctic terrain defined as snowy rather than icy, let
  the wearer use Skiing skill to move at full speed in general, half
  speed uphill (not at ¥0.20). Attach temporarily to footwear.
  $175, 10 lbs.
  Snowshoes: On arctic terrain defined as snowy rather than
  icy, let the wearer hike at half speed (not at ¥0.20). Can work
  as sandshoes at -2 to Hiking. Attach temporarily to footwear.
  $100, 5 lbs.
  Schlepping Schtuff
  Heroes – or more likely, henchmen – may serve as beasts
  of burden. The contrivances below share loads among mul-
  tiple bearers and/or reduce the effective encumbrance of
  dragged gear. Compare the litter and wheelbarrow on p. 24
  of Adventurers.
  Sledge: A platform with runners. Supports up to 500 lbs.
  Divide weight of it and its cargo by 2 in arctic terrain or by 1.5
  in any other terrain defined as “hard.” No reduction on soft
  ground (jungle, swampland, woodlands, and loose sand). Can
  be pulled by one or two travelers; split effective load evenly in
  the latter case. $50, 20 lbs.
  Travois: A couple of poles with a bunch of straps and slats
  hanging between them for lashing up to 500 lbs. of freight.
  Divide weight of it and its cargo by 2 in arctic terrain or by 1.5
  in any other terrain defined as “soft.” No reduction on hard
  ground. $25, 12 lbs.
  Beasts of Burden
  Rich adventurers prefer to ride. See Beasts (p. 21) and
  Mounted Combat (p. 41) for rules.
  Mounts Table
  This table summarizes what delvers really need to know
  about mounts. For detailed beast stats, see Riding and Draft
  Animals (pp. B459-460).
  ST, BL, and SM mean what they do for any character.
  Encumbrance Levels are maximum weights in pounds for
  No/Light/Medium encumbrance, including riding gear, rider,
  and rider’s equipment (cargo, for pack beasts). Ordinary mounts
  won’t go past Medium, though some monstrous ones might.
  Move is Basic Move adjusted for No/Light/Medium encum-
  brance, indicating maximum speed change per turn.
  Ground Speed is Move multiplied for Enhanced Move, used
  in travel calculations and as Top Speed.
  Cost is that animal’s price in town. Determine sell price
  exactly as for loot.
  WHO GOES THERE?
  18
  Mounts Table
  Mount
  ST
  BL
  Encumbrance Levels
  Move
  Ground Speed
  SM
  Cost
  Skills
  Camel
  22
  97
  97/194/291
  7/5/4
  14/10/8
  +1
  $1,500
  –
  Cavalry Horse
  22
  97
  97/194/291
  8/6/4
  16/12/8
  +1
  $4,000
  Brawling-10*, Mount-12
  Donkey
  15
  45
  45/90/135
  5/4/3
  8/6/5
  +1
  $1,000
  –
  Draft Horse
  25
  125
  125/250/375
  6/4/3
  12/8/6
  +1
  $2,000
  –
  Mule
  22
  97
  97/194/291
  6/4/3
  9/6/5
  +1
  $2,000
  –
  Pony
  18
  65
  65/130/195
  7/5/4
  14/10/8
  +1
  $1,500
  –
  Saddle Horse
  21
  88
  88/176/264
  6/4/3
  12/8/6
  +1
  $1,200
  Mount-11
  Warhorse
  24
  115
  115/230/345
  7/5/4
  14/10/8
  +1
  $5,000
  Brawling-12*, Mount-13
  * Has Combat Reflexes!
  
  Skills indicates important skills. All these beasts can be rid-
  den, but those with Mount are best, and those with Brawling
  (and Combat Reflexes) are preferable in combat.
  Riding Gear
  To ride a beast, generic “riding gear” is required. Heroes
  may opt to buy additional equipment. All of this hardware
  counts against the animal’s encumbrance.
  Having beasts shod, groomed, or whatever is fussy detail,
  and mostly beneath delvers. Assume that care and feeding cost
  a flat $150/beast between adventures. Failure to pay gives -1 to
  all rolls involving that animal on the next adventure.
  The GM may charge more for gear and expenses related to
  monsters used as mounts!
  Barding, Cloth: A full set of armor for skull, face, neck, torso,
  groin, and legs. DR 1. $275, 33 lbs.
  Barding, Leather: As above, but DR 2. $688, 83 lbs.
  Barding, Scale: As above, but DR 3. $1,760, 88 lbs.
  Bridle and Bit: All that’s needed to lead the beast as a pack
  animal. Animal Handling is at -3 without it. $35, 3 lbs.
  Lance: See p. B272. $60, 6 lbs.
  Riding Gear: Reins, bit, saddle, blankets, and so on, as befits
  the specific creature. Without this much gear, all Riding rolls
  are at -3! $150, 15 lbs.
  Saddlebags: Hold 40 lbs. $100, 3 lbs.
  Spurs: Give +1 to Riding rolls for control, but not to stay
  mounted or avoid disaster. Noisy (-1 to Stealth vs. Hearing).
  $25, neg.
  War Saddle: Heavy saddle with stirrups, high horns, and so
  on. Counts as riding gear and gives +3 to skill rolls to stay
  seated (and a 10 or less chance on 3d of staying in the saddle
  even if incapacitated). Includes attachment points for sheaths,
  quivers, etc. $250, 35 lbs.
  Vehicles
  Some parties travel in vehicles – typically because the large
  ones are good deals and keep the group together, though
  showoffs love their single-seat rides. See Wheels (p. 21) and
  Boats (p. 22) for rules. The vehicles on the table below include
  the following stats:
  HP: Hit Points. How much injury the vehicle can take
  before destruction. Mundane vehicles lack ST scores and are
  Homogenous.
  SR: Stability Rating. Mainly for boats, where it measures
  resistance to capsizing; see Freak Wave (p. 33). When handling
  vehicles in combat, failures by a margin greater than this upset
  the vehicle.
  Top Speed: How fast the thing can move, used to work out
  travel speed.
  Load: How much weight the vehicle can carry, including all
  occupants, gear, and loot.
  SM: Size Modifier. Affects enemy rolls to hit the vehicle and
  Vision rolls to see it when trying to be sneaky – and, for a boat,
  works against attempts to right it if it capsizes.
  Occupancy: How many SM 0 people can fit aboard,
  including the operator. An SM +1 delver counts as two (but
  can always squeeze into a single-seater); SM -1, as 1/2;
  SM -2, as 1/5; SM -4, as 1/20; and SM -6, as 1/100. Occupant
  weight counts against Load. Occupancy affects use as shel-
  ter (Shelters, pp. 24-25).
  DR: The DR protecting the vehicle’s HP. Mundane vehicles
  are too open to offer DR to those aboard. Exception: Elven
  coaches are enclosed for everyone but the driver.
  Cost: How much for a new vehicle, exclusive of any beasts.
  Determine sell price exactly as for loot.
  Beasts: Number, type, and cost of beasts to pull the thing.
  WHO GOES THERE?
  19
  Vehicles Table
  Vehicle
  HP
  SR
  Top Speed
  Load
  SM
  Occupancy
  DR
  Cost
  Beasts
  TEAMSTER
  Cart
  34
  3
  1
  1,200 lbs.
  +1
  6
  2
  $340
  2 oxen (+$3,000)
  Chariot, Large
  23
  2
  7
  600 lbs.
  +2
  3
  2
  $660
  4 horses (+$4,800)
  Chariot, Small
  16
  1
  9
  400 lbs.
  +1
  2
  1
  $330
  2 horses (+$2,400)
  Dogsled
  27
  2
  6*
  280 lbs.
  +1
  1
  2
  $400
  14 dogs (+$2,800)
  Elven Coach, Large
  54
  3
  9
  2,400 lbs.
  +3
  10
  2
  $11,000
  4 draft horses (+$8,000)
  Elven Coach, Small
  47
  2
  10
  1,600 lbs.
  +2
  7
  2
  $7,500
  2 draft horses (+$4,000)
  Wagon
  35
  4
  8
  1,000 lbs.
  +2
  5
  2
  $680
  2 draft horses (+$4,000)
  BOATING (UNPOWERED)
  Barbarian Longboat
  43
  1
  3
  2,300 lbs.
  +5
  11
  2
  $5,000
  –
  Kayak
  14
  1
  3
  200 lbs.
  +3
  1
  1
  $500
  –
  Outrigger Canoe
  45
  2
  3
  4,500 lbs.
  +5
  12
  2
  $6,000
  –
  Raft, Large
  79
  2
  1
  800 lbs.
  +2
  4
  12
  $240
  –
  Raft, Small
  66
  2
  1
  400 lbs.
  +2
  2
  7
  $140
  –
  Rowboat
  36
  1
  3
  2,000 lbs.
  +3
  8
  2
  $3,000
  –
  SEAMANSHIP
  Pirate Sloop
  43
  2
  3
  3,600 lbs.
  +4
  6†
  2
  $5,000
  –
  * Only in arctic terrain!
  † Ships don’t need to put in for the night – everybody can sleep aboard.
  
  Heroes in the wilderness share the concerns of delvers
  everywhere: fighting, looting, and looking out for danger.
  Dungeons covers these things. However, it tacitly assumes
  that Nature’s role in the story is to insulate town from dun-
  geon, so it sums up outdoor activities with a few dice rolls. On
  adventures that put natural hazards front and center – where
  they rival monsters and turn the simplest tasks into chal-
  lenges – the GM might want to “switch on” the more elabo-
  rate rules that follow.
  It’s fine to alternate between these rules and the simplified
  ones in Dungeons from adventure to adventure. That might
  even happen during a quest, if enemies strip the heroes of gear,
  leaving them to rely on their survival abilities
  (Bushwhacked, p. 48). And if delvers on any
  kind of mission decide to pillage Nature’s
  bounty, engage in some banditry under the
  open sky, or otherwise dawdle during a trip
  the GM planned to gloss over with a few dice
  rolls, then fair’s fair – the players have just
  given the GM free rein to break out the
  harsher treatments of terrain, weather, and
  travel disasters!
  These rules refer to Dungeons where
  applicable to show what they expand upon.
  As in that work, important character traits
  are in boldface.
  BRAVING THE WILDERNESS
  20
  CHAPTER TWO
  BRAVING THE
  WILDERNESS
  Terra Incognita
  Adventurers exploring regions unknown to them lack Area Knowl-
  edge by definition. If a roll against this skill is optional, they cannot
  attempt it; if it’s mandatory, they suffer an automatic failure. Use the
  same rule for Research rolls regarding areas commonly held to be unex-
  plored – though suitable Hidden Lore specialties might work. The GM
  may let Divination spells substitute for any of these rolls, but at penal-
  ties as severe as -10 for local interference such as wild countermagic and
  uncooperative nature spirits.
  It isn’t necessary to use rules fancier than Getting There
  Quickly (Dungeons, p. 5), even in a full-on wilderness cam-
  paign. The most important part of many fantasy journeys is the
  destination. Making the trip a bigger deal can spice things up,
  however . . . and the expedition itself might be the adventure!
  First, decide how much ground the party has to cover, be that
  the distance between town and dungeon, the size of the Haunted
  Forest they intend to explore, or the route taken by the caravan
  they’re guarding. Next, consult Terrain Types (p. 22) and choose
  the environment involved. Interesting journeys traverse several
  terrain types – break such trips into legs defined by major
  changes in landscape, and assign a length to each leg. A map is
  very helpful for these steps; see Maps (pp. 52-53).
  TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS
  A trip goes best when planned, though this isn’t always
  up to the travelers. Planning tasks come first for the heroes
  – but for the GM to handle these, he must skip forward 
  to Covering Ground (p. 23) and calculate how many days
  each leg of the journey will take, given the group’s means 
  of locomotion.
  Knowing What You’re Getting Into: A suitable Area Knowl-
  edge roll will reveal a region’s terrain type(s), and then a Sur-
  vival roll for each terrain type will elaborate on current travel
  conditions and common dangers in such territory (the GM
  may require relevant Hidden Lore rolls to know uncommon
  dangers). In town, one PC with access to books and maps can
  take a week to try a Research roll to cover all such tasks for
  the entire trip. Whatever skills are used, failure discovers noth-
  ing and critical failure gives dangerously flawed details . . .
  thus, a sloppy researcher can doom an entire expedition. If the
  delvers are explorers, Terra Incognita (above) applies and none
  of this matters!
  Planning a Route: Adventurers with a series of clear check-
  points and several routes between them can decide which
  way to go at any juncture up to when they must choose. If
  they made appropriate Area Knowledge and Survival rolls,
  or a Research roll, in town, the GM should reveal terrain
  type and estimated travel time along each leg; apply Covering
  Ground (p. 23) to the slowest party member, and simply
  ignore the randomness of Mitigating Circumstances (pp. 22-
  23) and Nasty Weather (pp. 30-31). This lets them plot a
  course and lay in supplies, including terrain-specific gear.
  TRAVEL
  
  If the group’s path is chosen for them – as when guarding a car-
  avan – the itinerary won’t be their decision, but they can still
  prepare for the environment.
  Winging It: Heroes in the field can gauge the terrain in a
  known area ahead by using Area Knowledge, and then use
  Survival to estimate the time to travel a given distance over it,
  as above. It’s too late for Research or shopping, however.
  Really Winging It: Explorers in Terra Incognita (p. 20) – and
  travelers who lack the correct skills – never get advance rolls to
  know terrain or estimate travel time. They can try Scouting
  (pp. 25-26), however. If this succeeds, roll against Naturalist or
  any Survival specialty to determine what terrain type lies ahead,
  unless that’s obvious (like towering mountains). Alternatively, if
  the group has a clear goal – seeking or avoiding a particular ter-
  rain type, minimizing distance or travel time, etc. – someone
  with Intuition may use it to pick the best path for that purpose.
  TRUDGING, TROTTING, 
  AND TRUNDLING
  Unless the adventurers can teleport, they and all their stuff
  will need to get from A to B – probably with a side-trip to C for
  some looting. This is another matter best
  planned before leaving, though hikers who
  steal horses and riders whose mounts (coinci-
  dentally) go missing might change modes
  mid-journey.
  Feet
  The most basic means of traveling is walk-
  ing or some variation on it. For all options,
  start with Basic Move and adjust for encum-
  brance (p. B17) to find the Move used with
  Covering Ground (p. 23). For everything
  except hiking, ignore Terrain Types (p. 22) in
  suitable conditions and instead modify Move
  as noted, keeping fractions. Each method
  involves its own skill; for effects, see Harder
  Than It Looks (p. 22).
  Hiking: One foot in front of the other. Move
  is unmodified. Affected normally by terrain.
  Uses Hiking.
  Sandshoeing: Inspired by lizard men.
  Requires sand. Replace terrain effects (typi-
  cally Move ¥0.20) with a flat Move ¥0.50.
  Uses Hiking.
  Skating: Glide like a barbarian – on blades.
  Requires ice! Replace terrain effects with
  Move ¥1.25 on a level surface, Move ¥0.50
  anywhere else. Uses Skating. (This skill isn’t
  on any standard template, but assume that
  where Hiking or Skiing appears, Skating is
  also an option.)
  Skiing: Slide like a barbarian. Needs snow!
  Replace terrain effects with Move ¥1.00 in gen-
  eral, Move ¥0.50 on uphill treks. Uses Skiing.
  Snowshoeing: Traipse like a grouse. Yes,
  more snow. Replace terrain effects with a flat
  Move ¥0.50 (a big improvement over ¥0.20).
  Uses Hiking.
  Beasts
  Heroes with money, large animal Allies, or druidic powers
  might have a beast do all the work. To find the Move used for
  Covering Ground (p. 23), begin with the creature’s Basic Move;
  adjust for encumbrance (p. B17), including the weight of the
  rider, his gear, and riding equipment; and multiply for
  Enhanced Move, if any (¥1.5 at level 0.5, ¥2 at level 1, ¥4 at
  level 2, and so on). Unless the animal has Terrain Adaptation,
  Terrain Types (p. 22) applies normally. Use Riding skill with
  Harder Than It Looks (p. 22).
  Wheels
  Beasts can instead pull land vehicles (p. 19) that have Load
  and Top Speed stats. Total passenger and cargo weight can’t
  exceed Load, while Top Speed acts as Move for Covering
  Ground (p. 23). Use Move ¥1.00 on a good road – or ¥0.50 on
  a lousy road or off-road on flat terrain such as plains – instead
  of using Terrain Types (p. 22). On worse ground, stack Move
  ¥0.50 and terrain effects; e.g., mountain (¥0.20) results in a net
  ¥0.10. The skill to use with Harder Than It Looks (p. 22) is
  Teamster; though this isn’t on any standard template, assume
  it’s an option wherever Animal Handling or Riding appears.
  BRAVING THE WILDERNESS
  21
  Cool Rides
  Fantasy heroes love fantasy transportation! There are endless possibil-
  ities, but some basic principles apply:
  • Animals use Basic Move modified for encumbrance and Enhanced
  Move as in Beasts (above). Being muscle-powered limits daily travel time
  (p. 23), but most critters are faster and/or stronger than people.
  • Vehicles use their Top Speed stat as Move, and can carry up to their
  Load stat instead of worrying about encumbrance. Those powered by
  magic, sails, etc. rather than muscle can travel for 24 hours/day, unless
  something prevents this.
  • Land transport is affected by Terrain Types (p. 22), unless it boasts Ter-
  rain Adaptation, moves on blades or skids (terrain works as for skating or
  skiing; see Feet, above), or has wheels (terrain works as for Wheels, above).
  • Water transport ignores Terrain Types but must follow water.
  • Aerial transport ignores Terrain Types and can go anywhere.
  Some generic examples:
  Flying Carpet: Has Top Speed and Load fixed by magic, ignores terrain,
  and can fly for 24 hours/day as long as someone with Magery is awake. A
  flying ship is similar, but anyone with Seamanship can stand watch.
  Iceboat: A wind-powered land vehicle, with Top Speed and Load stats.
  Moves on ice as if skating. Requires athletic handling, limiting daily
  travel time to that for muscle-powered transportation.
  Walking Hut: Has Top Speed and Load set by magic, experiences stan-
  dard terrain effects, and can walk for 24 hours/day as long as someone
  with Magery is awake.
  Winged Beast: An animal with air Move. Affected by encumbrance but
  not by terrain. Muscle-powered, which limits daily travel time.
  Anything flying, ultra-fast, or untiring makes travel less of an adven-
  ture. Such transportation should have a high cash or point cost, if avail-
  able, and demand a rarely taught skill: Piloting (Contragravity), Driving
  (Hut), Riding (Gryphon), etc.
  
  Boats
  Boats are vehicles (p. 19) with Load and Top Speed stats.
  Passenger weight plus cargo weight can’t exceed Load, and
  treat Top Speed as Move for Covering Ground (p. 23). Terrain
  doesn’t matter as such, but water is often ice in arctic terrain or
  absent in desert – and going up mountains in a boat isn’t usually
  an option! Use Boating skill with Harder Than It Looks (below).
  If the boat sails (or glides along on magic), it offers one
  huge advantage: travel can be 24 hours/day,
  as long as somebody stands watch. Such
  vessels use Seamanship instead.
  MITIGATING
  CIRCUMSTANCES
  Several factors influence actual travel
  speeds. On a wilderness adventure, these
  make things interesting and give outdoor
  heroes a chance to show off their knowhow.
  The rolls below are optional – travelers who
  aren’t adept at this stuff can muddle along,
  accepting what Fate throws their way,
  instead of risking anything fancy. Sum the
  resulting travel speed modifiers as explained
  in Covering Ground (p. 23).
  Harder Than It Looks
  Moving efficiently can make a real differ-
  ence. Each adventurer responsible only for
  himself may opt to roll against the relevant
  skill under Trudging, Trotting, and Trundling
  (pp. 21-22) – Boating for a one-seat boat,
  Hiking on foot, Riding on a mount, Skat-
  ing on skates, or Skiing on skis. Someone
  in charge of a vehicle rolls once for everyone
  aboard, using Boating for a small craft,
  Seamanship for a ship, or Teamster for a
  cart, chariot, wagon, etc. Roll each day.
  Success adds 10% to effective speed, failure
  subtracts 10%, and critical failure subtracts
  20% or yields interesting results (e.g., Obsta-
  cles, pp. 31-32, or Shipwrecked, p. 48). This
  rule replaces Forced March (Dungeons, p. 5).
  Following Directions
  The “best” path might prove otherwise,
  while a skilled guide can make a bad path
  adequate and a good one better for the
  entire group.
  Cutting Corners: Terrain is rarely homo-
  geneous – there might be short bits of road
  or beaten trail, passes between peaks, and
  so on that enable swift travel. Even without
  such things, cutting close to obstacles,
  avoiding meandering, and watching the 
  lay of the land can save valuable time. Use
  The Golden Path (Dungeons, p. 5), but roll
  daily and modify speed, not time. Success
  at Navigation adds 10% to effective speed,
  failure subtracts 10%, and critical failure
  subtracts 20%. A guide with Area Knowl-
  edge of the region can use that instead, to
  identical effect.
  BRAVING THE WILDERNESS
  22
  Terrain Types
  Wilderness Adventures uses canonical terrain types that have the effects
  on the following table unless specified otherwise.
  Terrain: The terrain type, named after the Survival specialty required
  there; see p. B224. Heroes without the correct specialty can use Survival for
  other terrain at -3, Naturalist at -3, or Per at -5.
  Foraging: Modifier to the foraging rolls under Food and Water (pp. 42-
  44). 1d-7 gives from -6 to -1; 2d-7 gives from -5 to +5. In a hurry, use the
  average: -4 or 0, respectively.
  Tracking: Modifier to Tracking rolls.
  Travel Speed: Multipliers used for daily travel, given typical conditions,
  for anyone without Terrain Adaptation. In a hurry, use the average.
  Terrain
  Foraging
  Tracking
  Travel Speed
  Arctic
  1d-7 (avg. -4)
  -2
  ¥0.20 on loose snow or ¥0.50 
  on slippery ice
  Desert
  1d-7 (avg. -4)
  -2
  ¥0.20 on loose sand to ¥1.25 on
  hard-packed sand (avg. ¥0.50)
  Island/Beach
  2d-7 (avg. 0)
  -2
  ¥0.20 on loose sand to ¥1.25 
  on hard rock (avg. ¥0.50)
  Jungle
  2d-7 (avg. 0)
  0
  ¥0.20
  Mountain
  1d-7 (avg. -4)
  -2
  ¥0.20
  Plains
  2d-7 (avg. 0)
  0
  ¥0.50 if hilly to ¥1.25 if 
  completely level (avg. ¥1.00)
  Swampland
  2d-7 (avg. 0)
  -4
  ¥0.20
  Woodlands
  2d-7 (avg. 0)
  0
  ¥0.20 in dense forest to ¥1.00 
  in light forest (avg. ¥0.50)
  Mixed Terrain
  Terrain types often overlap; e.g., tree-covered mountains mix mountain
  and woodlands. As well, travelers on the move might cross several terrain
  types in a day. In either case, the GM should pick one type as “dominant”
  for the day and use its modifiers, but let all applicable Survival specialties
  work for the day’s rolls.
  Exceptional Terrain
  Aquatic Terrain: The aquatic specialties on p. B224 are irrelevant unless
  the party can travel and forage underwater for extended periods. In that
  case, ignore tracking and travel modifiers. Foraging (usually Fishing) rolls
  are at 2d-6 (-4 to +6) for Bank, Deep Ocean Vent, Reef, and Tropical Lagoon;
  2d-7 (-5 to +5) for Fresh-Water Lake and River/Stream; and 2d-8 (-6 to +4) for
  Open Ocean and Salt-Water Sea.
  Bonanzas: Any terrain might boast unusually rich spots: a fertile valley
  hidden in mountains, hot springs in the arctic, an oasis in the desert, won-
  derful fishing grounds underwater, etc. If the GM includes one of these, the
  foraging modifier is the better of +5 or its usual maximum. When the mod-
  ifier is left to chance, a traveler can spend a use of Serendipity to have the
  party stumble upon such a place!
  Fantasy Terrain: Fantasy terrain types needn’t make sense. The GM can
  set any combination of foraging, tracking, and travel effects, and might
  leave nothing to chance. Truly outré terrain types may call for new Survival
  specialties that default to others at -3 to -7.
  
  X Marks the Spot: If following a map (Sages, p. 14), remem-
  ber to add its Navigation modifier as well as that for any nav-
  igation equipment (p. 17). A scholar who studies a map for
  temporary Area Knowledge may use the higher of the two
  adjusted skills.
  COVERING GROUND
  To find final travel speed, follow these steps, keeping all
  fractions:
  1. Using Trudging, Trotting, and Trundling (pp. 21-22), work
  out each delver or vehicle’s Move.
  2. Get base travel speed by multiplying this Move for terrain
  as shown in the “Travel Speed” column in Terrain Types (p. 22).
  The notes for particular means of transportation always over-
  ride this – follow those instead.
  3. Sum all applicable percentage modifiers for
  Mitigating Circumstances (pp. 22-23), Nasty Weather
  (pp. 30-31), and Tracking (pp. 27-28). Apply the total to
  base travel speed. It is possible to get worse than -100%!
  That means the party accidentally circles, has to back-
  track, etc.; e.g., dire weather (-75%), failed Hiking (-10%),
  and critically failed Navigation (-20%) mean losing ground
  at 5% of base travel speed that day.
  4. Halve the result to convert to final travel speed in miles
  per hour.
  Sticking Together: Work out each adventurer’s travel
  speed as shown above. Though Nasty Weather and Following
  Directions affect the whole party, travelers often have dif-
  fering Move, Top Speed, susceptibility to terrain effects,
  etc.; Harder Than It Looks applies per individual or vehi-
  cle; and Tracking slows only the tracker. The group travels
  at the speed of its slowest member. A delver who’s at least
  1.5 times that fast may try Scouting (pp. 25-26) without
  slowing the others.
  Daily Travel Time
  This is the number of hours dedicated to covering
  ground in a given 24-hour day. In all cases, remember to
  subtract time spent fighting, healing, looting, foraging
  (Food and Water, pp. 42-44), etc.
  Muscle-Powered
  Most means of transportation rely on muscle, including
  everything under Feet (p. 21) and Beasts (p. 21), and any-
  thing under Wheels (p. 21) or Boats (p. 22) that isn’t either a
  sailboat operated with Seamanship or a magically pro-
  pelled conveyance.
  • If nobody in the group has Survival, the party requires
  an hour to strike camp; six hours throughout the day for
  meals, hygiene, rests, and incidentals (e.g., prayer); an hour
  to pitch camp and argue about watches; and eight hours for
  sleep. 8 hours/day.
  • If even one person knows Survival (for huge groups, the
  GM may require one in 10 to have it), the group needs half an
  hour to strike camp; three hours for meals and so on; half an
  hour to pitch camp; and eight hours for sleep. 12 hours/day.
  • If racial traits, magic, etc. mean that nobody sleeps (includ-
  ing any beasts!), there’s no camping, either; the day consists of
  alternating travel and breaks. To calculate travel time, use the
  same fraction of the day not spent in camp (8/14 or 12/15), apply
  it to the day’s full 24 hours, and round to the nearest hour. 14
  hours/day without Survival, 19 hours/day with Survival.
  Untiring
  Vehicles under Boats (p. 22) and Cool Rides (p. 21) that
  require only watch-standing – and entire groups that can
  ignore not just sleep but also food and FP losses – can travel for
  24 hours/day.
  Daily Travel Distance
  At the end of each day, multiply daily travel time in hours
  by travel speed in miles per hour to learn how many miles the
  group covers.
  TRAVEL LOADOUTS
  AND SUDDEN STOPS
  When bandits or sea monsters suddenly accost the travel-
  ers, it’s crucial to know what state everyone is in.
  To Arms!
  Marching around in full battle rattle has upsides and
  downsides.
  BRAVING THE WILDERNESS
  23
  Sick and Tired
  Missed meals, camping somewhere unpleasant or for-
  going camping to travel all night (Camping, pp. 24-25),
  and illness (Fresh Air Is Good for You, p. 34) result in last-
  ing FP losses recoverable only with food, sleep, or treat-
  ment. Injuries – from combat or wilderness woes – deplete
  HP. When either score is below 1/3 of its full value, halve
  the adventurer’s Move for the sake of Covering Ground
  (above). This isn’t cumulative; don’t use quarter speed if
  both issues apply.
  A hero who loses enough FP to failed swimming rolls
  (p. B354), spellcasting, etc. also moves more slowly. These
  FP losses aren’t lasting. If the party is willing to wait for
  him to catch his breath, he’ll no longer slow them down.
  Subtract his recovery time from daily travel time (above).
  If somebody is slowing the whole group, his allies might
  carry him or put him on a mount. In that case, divide his
  weight and that of his gear by the number of bearers and use
  the resulting encumbrance level to figure their Move that
  day. Putting the patient in a vehicle counts against its Load
  stat instead. Don’t do this calculation twice – if somebody
  needs an hour to recover FP, the party can either travel an
  hour less that day or deal with carrying him all day.
  The FP losses under Travel Fatigue (p. 24) and Harsh
  Climates (p. 30) don’t work this way. They’re snapshots –
  how that person is doing if the group stops to fight or solve
  a puzzle. However, those FP fluctuations and lasting losses
  both count against FP available for spells at that moment,
  and if the total goes negative, HP losses result as usual.
  
  Travel Gear: Each delver must specify what gear he’s wear-
  ing or carrying. This stuff sets his encumbrance level for the
  purpose of Feet (p. 21) and Travel Fatigue (below). If violence
  breaks out on the road, he has that equipment to hand, its DR
  protects him, and its weight affects his Move and Dodge.
  Stowed Gear: The adventurer must give all his remaining
  equipment a location: in the party’s boat, on his mount, in his
  henchman’s backpack, or whatever. This stuff doesn’t encum-
  ber him, but it either counts against a vehicle’s Load or bur-
  dens the ally or beast who’s carrying it. He can snatch handheld
  gear from an animal or a vehicle he’s riding by taking one
  Ready maneuver per item. Things in others’ packs, stowed
  armor, and articles borne by beasts or vehicles he isn’t riding
  won’t be useful in the fight.
  Travel Fatigue
  Travel is tiring. In a sudden encounter, travelers may find
  themselves a little short on FP:
  • If on foot (Feet, p. 21), rowing or paddling, or otherwise
  doing work, the missing FP depend on the encumbrance 
  of travel gear (above): 1 FP for None, 2 FP for Light, 3 FP for
  Medium, 4 FP for Heavy, or 5 FP for Extra-Heavy.
  • If mounted (Beasts, p. 21), make a HT-based Riding roll.
  Any success costs 0 FP; any failure costs 1 FP.
  • If in a beast-drawn vehicle (Wheels, p. 21): 1 FP
  on a good road, 2 FP on a bad road or off-road.
  • If sitting in a sailboat, on a flying carpet, or oth-
  erwise doing no work and having smooth ride: 0 FP.
  Regardless of means of transportation, anyone in
  a hot climate – and fantasy desert or jungle terrain
  usually qualifies – pays 1 FP extra. This becomes 2
  FP for delvers clad in plate armor (though not partial
  armor; see Loadouts, p. 8), winter clothing, or arctic
  clothing, even if those things aren’t heavy enough to
  offer encumbrance!
  BRAVING THE WILDERNESS
  24
  “Camping requires no special skill” (Dungeons, p. 5) is
  hopeful – ask anyone who has ever pitched a tent on lumpy
  rocks, next to a nest of agony ants, facing uphill during a rain-
  storm. Travel (pp. 20-24) allocates time to pitching camp at
  night and striking it come morning, and the GM may want to
  game out the implied activities. Even when hand-waving it all,
  travelers without a guide who knows Survival above default
  level spend twice as long messing with their camp each day.
  All Night Long (All Night): Those who opt to march all night
  instead of camping may do so. For those without Doesn’t
  Sleep or a Vigil spell, this costs 3 FP per night. These FP can’t
  be recovered until the party does stop for a night.
  First Class: Ignore most of this stuff when traveling aboard
  a vehicle large enough to provide long-term accommodations,
  like a ship. Watches (p. 25) still applies, however.
  Sites
  Careful campsite choice can be a life-saver. Make a Sur-
  vival roll for the terrain type – at default, if necessary – before
  pitching camp each night. This is at -2 without group basics.
  Critical success allows the campers to claim all three benefits
  below; success, two of them; failure, just one; and critical fail-
  ure, none. Any party member with Serendipity can expend a
  use to stumble upon a site that offers all three.
  Comfort: Not choosing this means everybody gets cold,
  wet, bitten by bugs, a lumpy night’s sleep, etc., and is down 1
  FP (2 FP in arctic or mountain terrain), cumulative over mul-
  tiple nights. To recover these FP, the party must spend a
  night at a campsite that does offer this benefit, or in town.
  Campers without even rudimentary sleeping arrangements –
  bedrolls, furs (in arctic terrain), the Fur advantage, or animal
  Allies of larger SM (tiger pillow, boo-yah!) – must “spend” two
  benefits to claim comfort unless Serendipity was invoked for
  a perfect campsite.
  Concealment: Per Wilderness Camps (Dungeons, p. 5), a well-
  hidden camp can grant a second chance to detect night visitors.
  Choosing this benefit gives -1 to the raiders’ Vision roll and +1 to
  the party’s Camouflage roll in the Quick Contest.
  Lines of Sight: Choosing this benefit means that enemies
  must approach over open ground, giving the party +1 to the
  Perception or Observation rolls under Camping and Posting
  Watches (Dungeons, p. 5). If the intruders attempt to sneak,
  they have -1 to Stealth in the Quick Contest as well.
  Shelters
  No less important than the campsite is the shelter set up
  there. This is distinct from the spot’s concealment and comfort
  – you can pitch tents and find caves in both great and lousy
  locations! Unless noted otherwise, time to prepare and break
  down shelter is included in the process of pitching and striking
  camp (Daily Travel Time, p. 23). All Survival rolls below are
  at -2 without group basics.
  If I Don’t Get Some Shelter: A night sans shelter costs FP
  exactly as if the site didn’t offer comfort (above). If both prob-
  lems exist, the FP losses are additive – one night in a crummy
  arctic camp costs 4 FP!
  Good In Tent: A tent or a yurt provides shelter for a number
  of people up to its capacity.
  CAMPING
  Travel is tiring, especially in
  a hot climate or when clad in
  armor.
  
  Hole-Ism: A cave – or gaps between rocks or ancient tree
  roots – is good shelter. To find something like this quickly
  enough to matter, roll vs. Prospecting. Use full skill in moun-
  tain terrain, -2 in most terrain, and -4 in swampland (where
  holes are full of slime and leaping leeches). Also subtract the
  SM of the largest camper who has to fit; e.g., -1 for an SM +1
  ogre, but +6 for an SM -6 pixie. Any success locates something
  big enough for everyone; failure doesn’t; and critical failure
  turns up shelter claimed by bandits, bears, dragons . . .
  Igloo You: In arctic terrain, snow mounded into tempo-
  rary huts or windbreaks works. Those building the shelter roll
  against the highest Survival (Arctic) among them, with a bonus
  equal to the number of them who know the skill (no defaults!)
  but a penalty equal to shelter capacity. Any failure means the
  shelter doesn’t count! A genuine igloo takes time away from
  travel – hours equal to twice its capacity – but creates lasting
  shelter (cover DR 1) that gives +2 to later Survival rolls.
  Lean-To, Too: A makeshift shelter of branches is a possibil-
  ity where there’s sufficient vegetation (any terrain but arctic,
  desert, or mountain). This requires some sort of axe, hatchet,
  or machete. Follow the rules for temporary snow shelters
  (above), but substitute the local Survival specialty and apply
  an extra -2 in island/beach, plains, or swampland.
  Road Warriors: A wagon, beached boat, or other vehicle
  without long-term quarters can offer shelter to as many people
  as half its Occupancy.
  Sorcerous Shelter: A Weather Dome spell of radius R offers
  shelter to R2-1 people but won’t do anything about ants, lumpy
  ground, natural noise, etc., so it doesn’t provide comfort.
  Is That Your Foot? Most shelter is for a certain number of
  SM 0 people. Count SM +1 folk (barbarians, ogres, etc.) as
  two; SM -1 gnomes as 1/2; SM -2 halflings as 1/5; SM -4 lep-
  rechauns as 1/20; and SM -6 pixies as 1/100. If overcrowded,
  all benefits of comfort are lost for everyone.
  Watches
  The watch-standing rules under Camping and Posting
  Watches (Dungeons, p. 5) apply normally when taking this
  more-detailed approach, but the GM may entertain further 
  considerations.
  Site for Sore Eyes: When camping, a good campsite can
  greatly enhance these tasks; see Sites (p. 24).
  Snap! The Dungeon Camps rules (Dungeons, p. 5) work fine
  outdoors. If intruders aren’t seen by sentries or fooled by Cam-
  ouflage, roll one last Quick Contest: the higher of Survival or
  Traps for the hero who set the noisemakers vs. enemy Vision.
  Victory awakens the party, as usual. Casters with Forest
  Warning or Watchdog will always be awakened at this stage,
  and can alert allies.
  You Have the Conn: On a vehicle capable of traveling for 24
  hours/day, somebody skilled must man the helm to make
  progress – default skill won’t do. Ships (oceangoing or flying)
  call for Seamanship. Weird magical transports might need
  esoteric Piloting specialties! Use the worst skill level through-
  out each 24-hour period with Harder Than It Looks (p. 22).
  A Little Help Here: On a vehicle that travels all night, a per-
  son watching for enemies and steering can’t spend equal time
  on both. He must distribute -4 between Seamanship (lowering
  his skill for the previous rule) and his Perception or
  Observation roll to spot danger. He may allocate -4 to one, -3
  to one and -1 to the other, or -2 to both. Posting separate peo-
  ple for these tasks solves this problem.
  BRAVING THE WILDERNESS
  25
  Most adventurers don’t wander the wilds to hike, camp, and
  experience swamps and nasty weather. Perhaps they’re being
  paid to explore a region, track down bad guys, or spy on an
  enemy army. Even if they’re simply going from A to B, they
  may want to look before they leap, and then leap in style.
  SCOUTING
  A party trying to reconnoiter as it travels has three options:
  1. Send fast movers ahead while moving. As Covering
  Ground (p. 23) notes, this limits scouting to those who are at
  least 50% faster than the bulk of the group, but it doesn’t slow
  progress. It also doesn’t limit stealth.
  2. Stop periodically to send people ahead. This halves daily
  travel distance, but anyone who wants to scout may try, and
  may do so stealthily. Travelers who aren’t scouting can use up
  to half the daily travel time for other tasks.
  3. Scout in force. The whole party reconnoiters while mov-
  ing at full speed, but stealth is a casualty. (If everyone moves
  slowly enough to preserve stealth, that’s the previous case:
  stealthy scouting at half travel speed.)
  These approaches affect Scouting Ahead (Dungeons, p. 7)
  as described in the next two sections.
  Sneaking
  To reconnoiter undetected, fast movers or people sent
  ahead must roll against Stealth. A party scouting in force can
  still try to be stealthy but uses the group’s lowest Stealth, at -5
  for haste – and the largest SM among the adventurers and their
  mounts and vehicles modifies enemy Vision.
  EXPLORATION
  
  Here and in all later rules, Stealth failure – blown skill rolls,
  Quick Contests lost to sentries, successful enemy Perception
  rolls against those not using Stealth, etc. – means being detected
  . . . if there are enemies around! There might not be. If there are,
  only the adventurers out reconnoitering are in danger. Usually.
  Where Did That Come From? In all cases, anyone handling
  a mount or a vehicle uses the lower of Stealth or the applica-
  ble Boating, Riding, or Teamster skill.
  Size Matters: Against an active sentry, the Stealth attempt
  becomes a Quick Contest against Vision. Remember that SM
  modifies Vision! A pixie (SM -6) or someone who can shapeshift
  into a rat (SM -7) can sneak even with mediocre skill. Those not
  moving on foot had better be good – a horse has SM +1, a wagon
  has SM +2, and so on.
  Stealth from Above: Flying characters can’t sneak but can
  fly high enough to be hard to see. The flyer may pick a range
  penalty of any size (although the GM might set limits, even in
  fantasy). His enemies get a Vision roll at this modifier –
  cumulative with SM – to spot him flying search patterns. 
  The spy’s own Vision, Observation, Tracking, Traps, etc.
  (see Information Gathering, below) suffer the same distance
  penalty. Both sides add Acute Vision, and ignore -2 per level
  of Telescopic Vision. Thus, this works best for, say, an SM -4
  hawk or SM -6 pixie with excellent eyesight.
  It’s Just a Mouse: When the scout outwardly resembles a
  beast, the guidelines under Critters (pp. 12-14) hold. Being seen
  won’t provoke hostility unless either the observer has cause to
  be wary of animal scouts or the creature is remarkable for the
  surroundings and the viewer makes his Naturalist roll to real-
  ize this.
  Information Gathering
  Spotting buildings, counting orcs, noticing smoke, and so
  on requires no special roll. Most other things do, including:
  The Hills Have Ears: If the goal is to get close enough to hear
  speech without being noticed, then scouting in force, with
  mounts, or in vehicles won’t work. People ahead of the party
  on foot (and flyers who risk landing) may roll an additional
  Quick Contest of Stealth vs. enemy Hearing. Winning means
  getting close enough for a Hearing roll. Losing works like any
  Stealth failure.
  Lay of the Land: Gathering enough information to guess at
  upcoming terrain (Really Winging It, p. 21) calls for a Natural-
  ist or Survival roll. Terrain is obvious once you’re in it, so a
  useful prediction calls for someone to use one of the first two
  scouting options. If he lacks suitable nature skills, he can use
  Observation to collect details for someone else – but failure
  gives his associate a penalty equal to the margin. Observation
  can act as a complementary skill to the daily Cartography rolls
  under Mapping (p. 27), too; if also surveying terrain, roll sepa-
  rately for each task. All this assumes the scout can somehow
  communicate with the naturalist or mapper; animals aren’t
  much good at this.
  Look, Footprints! Those scouting may also look for a trail.
  Picking this up initially is a Tracking roll at the penalty under
  Terrain Types (p. 22).
  I See Trouble Up Ahead: Detecting an ambush involves an
  Observation roll. Noticing a trap uses Per-based Traps. Either
  must win a Quick Contest against any enemy Camouflage skill
  in use – and most wilderness foes do take this precaution.
  THERE AND BACK AGAIN
  Knowing where you’ve been is as important as looking
  ahead!
  Getting Lost
  The GM decides whether the adventurers can get lost on
  their current adventure. If they’re following a road or a person
  (Tracking, pp. 30-31), or heading toward a visible, static land-
  mark (mountain, ray of celestial light stabbing down from the
  heavens, etc.), this shouldn’t happen. Explorers who have
  Absolute Direction don’t get lost, either – skip this rule for a
  party that includes even one such individual.
  But if the heroes are roaming through trackless arctic or
  desert terrain, thick jungle or woodlands, supernatural mists,
  etc., the GM may require daily rolls to remain on course. Use
  Navigation anywhere, Area Knowledge in known parts,
  Observation for flyers, or a spell such as Find Direction,
  Know Location, or Pathfinder. If none of that applies, use
  IQ at -5. Make one roll for the highest score in the group – or,
  if everyone is trusting a guide without second thoughts, use
  that person’s best applicable ability. Also do this after a track-
  ing mission (Bounty Hunting, pp. 47-48), if the party’s quarry
  knew the territory better than they did.
  Failure means getting lost. The adventurers make no
  progress toward their goal. They can perform all usual wilder-
  ness tasks, but waste one day’s worth of supplies and travel, and
  face the joys of Camping (pp. 24-25), Natural Threats (pp. 30-35),
  and Wandering Monsters (p. 56) for another day. If it matters
  where the delvers strayed, the GM can roll for a random direc-
  tion (see Maps, pp. 52-53) or send them somewhere interesting
  (Lost, p. 48); either way, limit deviations to half a day’s travel so
  that a day is “there and back again.”
  Each day after that, they may try one of the above rolls, an IQ
  roll for somebody with Eidetic Memory, Tracking (modified by
  Terrain Types, p. 22) to retrace their trail, or the Remember Path
  spell. Success resumes travel; failure costs another day. Some-
  one with Photographic Memory can get the party on track after
  one day, no roll required.
  The Forest of No Return: There are cursed, unnatural
  regions that want visitors to get lost! Some magical fogs have
  this effect even in known parts. In those situations, all the
  skill and spell rolls above are at -5 to -10; people with
  Absolute Direction must roll to avoid getting lost, though
  they ignore -3 of the penalty; and travelers with Photo-
  graphic Memory have to roll to get back on track, but
  avoid -5 of the penalty.
  Getting Separated
  Anywhere the party could get lost, individuals or small
  groups detached for Scouting (pp. 25-26), foraging (Food and
  Water, pp. 42-44), etc. – or fleeing combat or pursuit – may get
  separated from their allies. Such people must roll as for
  Getting Lost (above) to reach their rendezvous point (which
  might be overrun, if they fled combat!). Otherwise, they or
  their allies will have to use magic (like Seeker) or Signaling
  (p. 28) to find each other. The first attempt to regroup wastes
  no appreciable time, but later ones cost a day apiece. Days
  spent searching allow no travel, and each fragment of the
  group faces Wandering Monsters (p. 56) on its own.
  BRAVING THE WILDERNESS
  26
  
  Mapping
  With a day’s travel often subsumed into a few rolls for
  weather, daily progress, and random badness, the “GM
  describes, players inscribe” model recommended in Mapping
  (Dungeons, p. 6) isn’t viable. Describing everything would
  grow tedious – and anyway, it’s the rare maniac who’d spend
  eight or more hours sketching the trail a yard at a time. It’s
  fairer and less annoying for everyone if the GM reveals pro-
  gressively more of his map (Maps, pp. 52-53) to the players.
  Mapmaker, Mapmaker, Make Me a Map: Player knowledge
  provides no guarantees for the explorers’ map! The GM should
  make a daily Cartography roll in secret for each mapper. Keep
  a running total as follows: critical success gives +1, success
  adds 0, failure is -1, and critical failure is -2. Each day’s roll is
  at a modifier equal to the current tally plus the effects of any
  complementary Observation roll (Information Gathering,
  p. 26). This total matters for the next two rules.
  Terra Cognita: Mapped areas are no longer subject to Terra
  Incognita (p. 20) for the purpose of later Travel Arrangements
  (pp. 20-21), and can be used for the Navigation rolls in
  Following Directions (pp. 22-23) and Getting Lost (p. 26). When
  the heroes use their map-in-progress this way, apply its current
  running total as a skill modifier.
  Maps-R-Us: The running total at journey’s end determines
  map quality. In the lingo of Sages, p. 14, any penalty indicates
  a sketchy map, the sort that might sell for $25; 0 means an aver-
  age map that would go for $50; and a bonus corresponds to an
  annotated map that rates an extra $50 per +1. These are base
  prices. An original map of new territory should rack up at least
  twice as much; a private commission, at least 10 times base
  price, plus time and expenses. This rule replaces Selling the Tale
  (Dungeons, p. 15).
  TRACKING
  Tracking (Dungeons, p. 5) works normally for wilderness
  adventures set on land – but if that’s the whole point of the
  story, it deserves some elaboration.
  Days on the Trail: Instead of rolling vs. Tracking once for
  the whole adventure, check daily, using the more-detailed mod-
  ifiers under Terrain Types (p. 22) and Nasty Weather (pp. 30-31).
  Any success lets the trackers follow the trail at full speed.
  Failure or critical failure wastes time, subtracting 10% or 20%,
  respectively, from travel speed. Use these rules instead of those
  for Following Directions (pp. 22-23), as the hunters don’t get to
  pick the route – that’s at their quarry’s discretion. Ignore
  Getting Lost (p. 26) for the same reason, though the heroes
  might have to roll at the end of the hunt to see whether they
  know where they’ve ended up!
  Hot on the Trail: If time is of the essence, the GM should set
  the initial lead that the heroes’ quarry enjoys. Then looking at
  their prey’s stats, use Travel (pp. 20-24) to establish a plausible
  daily travel distance for the target and add that to the lead each
  day. Work out the pursuers’ daily distance normally – remem-
  bering that time spent on tasks other than pursuit is time wasted
  – and subtract that from the lead each day. If the result is zero
  or negative, the adventurers overtake their target that day and
  successful Scouting (pp. 25-26) can spot him.
  Losing the Trail: To keep things interesting, these rules
  assume that critical failure at Tracking merely slows the track-
  ers. If the GM prefers, critical failure might mean losing the
  trail completely. Instead of a 20% speed penalty, the party
  makes no progress that day while their quarry widens his lead.
  The party can try a Tracking roll each day, with success mean-
  ing normal progress again but any failure wasting another day.
  BRAVING THE WILDERNESS
  27
  Flying wizards, winged shapeshifters, carpet-riders, etc.
  represent a massive plot complication. Realistically, they
  enjoy long lines of sight that make surprise nigh impossi-
  ble. A compromise solution is best.
  Eye in the Sky: The land is laid out in plain sight for air-
  borne adventurers, but keen eyes and overhead conceal-
  ment (e.g., forest canopy) still matter. A flyer engaged in
  Scouting (pp. 25-26) automatically spots all unconcealed
  targets in arctic, desert, mountain, or plains terrain soon
  enough to prevent surprise; in other terrain, a roll against
  the higher of Vision or Observation, at -4 in jungle or
  woodlands, achieves this. For concealed targets in any ter-
  rain, winning a Quick Contest of Vision or Observation
  (still at -4 in canopied terrain) vs. Camouflage or Stealth is
  needed. Horizontal distance is left abstract, but if it really
  matters, call it a mile and assume that the two groups will
  encounter each other in whatever time they need to cover
  that distance. Foes who notice an aerial watcher (see
  Stealth from Above, p. 26) will be expecting trouble!
  Aerial Mapping: Mapping (below) assumes a route map,
  valued by merchants and road-builders. Conquerors and
  delvers prize area maps. Creating these on foot means
  zigzagging across a region for longer than is fun for most
  players. Mapping from the air is much faster. Use the stan-
  dard mapping rules, but each day’s roll maps a radius in
  miles that depends on the speediest flyer’s Move:
  Move
  1-3
  4-8
  9-15 16-24
  25-35
  36-48
  49-63
  Radius
  1
  2
  3
  4
  5
  6
  7
  And so on. If the mapmaker doesn’t personally do the
  flying, he must rely on the flyer for most of his informa-
  tion, and uses the lower of his ally’s Observation or his
  own Cartography instead of receiving a complementary
  skill bonus. An aerial map means that the next few miles
  ahead of the party count as mapped.
  Popping Up for a Look: The above rules assume some-
  body who can fly all day. Occasional aerial glimpses – as by
  wizards who can’t maintain the Flight spell for free – don’t
  offer these benefits. Enemies may be hidden briefly at that
  moment, while mapmaking calls for extended note-taking.
  If someone flies up to look at something, then simply game
  out the scene with normal movement and skill use. Excep-
  tion: A flying adventurer with Serendipity can spend a use
  to be fortuitously airborne when something interesting is
  visible, in which case Eye in the Sky applies.
  Aerial Scouting and Mapping
  
  Active Countermeasures: Someone who knows he might be
  tracked can try to thwart this. Success at the Light Walk skill
  (a secret of martial artists, ninja, and elves) makes tracking
  impossible without a sense other than sight; e.g., Discrimina-
  tory Smell. The Hide Path spell inflicts a flat -8 on the trackers’
  roll, while Walk Through Plants gives -1d if there are any plants
  at all, with an extra -2 in jungle or woodlands. Taking mundane
  precautions allows a traveler to turn Tracking attempts against
  him into Quick Contests vs. his own Tracking by reducing his
  daily speed by 10% (the False Tracks spell lets him use Natural-
  ist at no speed penalty) – and if the trackers lose, they suffer an
  effective critical failure.
  SIGNALING
  While Signaling (Dungeons, p. 7)
  works outdoors, distance and visibil-
  ity quickly become issues. Gesture
  and Body Language remain useful if
  the person who’s being “read” is no
  further away in yards than the
  viewer’s Perception adjusted by
  Vision modifiers – particularly Acute
  Vision, any combat penalty assessed
  under Poor Visibility (p. 39), and the
  subject’s SM (it’s easier to see an ogre
  waving than a pixie!).
  Magic offers many ways to signal
  almost flawlessly: Great Voice, Mes-
  sage, Mind-Sending, etc. If such a
  spell works, the intended recipient
  (and nobody else) gets the alert.
  Failing all that, it’s time to resort
  to things that enemies might notice.
  The following methods communi-
  cate general location, plus a simple,
  prearranged
  message (“Attack!”,
  “Flee!”, “Gold!”, etc.). For complex
  systems like “One fire arrow if by
  land, two if by sea, three if I need
  snacks,” apply -2 to all relevant rolls
  to simulate tricky timing and the possibility of the recipient
  missing part of the signal. A whole alphabet gives -8!
  Noise
  Sound is an effective way to hail allies outdoors – especially
  when part of the group is far ahead, engaged in Scouting
  (pp. 25-26). Anyone who might find the signal interesting gets
  a Hearing roll with these modifiers:
  Distance: -1 at 8 yards, -2 at 16 yards, -3 at 32 yards, and
  another -1 per doubling. A mile is -9, two miles is -10, and
  so forth.
  Duration: +1 if the signal is ongoing, not a brief blast of sound
  like a startled shout or a Concussion or Thunderclap spell;
  +2 if it lasts for a minute or more.
  Source: 0 for shouting, most musical instruments, or a Sound
  or Voices spell; +2 for a whistle or a woodwind instrument;
  +3 for a horn, a drum, regular bagpipes (Treasure Tables,
  p. 22), or shouts with Penetrating Voice; +4 for dwarven
  bagpipes; +5 for a Noise spell; +7 for a Concussion or
  Thunderclap spell. Shouted Subsonic Speech carries
  twice as far, giving a further +1, but only individuals who
  can hear subsonics get to roll.
  Skill: Those using instruments may make a Musical Instru-
  ment roll, while anyone shouting can try Singing. Success
  adds +1; critical success, +2.
  Success means friends receive the signal. Foes get to roll,
  too, of course! Those who fail their rolls may well hear the
  noise, just not clearly enough to realize its significance.
  Hoo, Who? Alternatively, there’s the classic trick of signal-
  ing with Mimicry (Animal Sounds or Bird Calls). This must
  be prearranged to be useful!
  The recipient still needs to
  make a Hearing roll; treat the
  source 
  as 
  shouting, 
  with
  bonuses for Penetrating Voice
  and success or critical success
  at Mimicry. Enemies have to
  win a Quick Contest against
  this skill roll with Naturalist –
  at -3 if they don’t suspect trou-
  ble (they haven’t triggered
  traps, seen someone flying
  search patterns, etc.) – to real-
  ize that it’s a signal.
  Smoke and Fire
  There are many choices
  for visual signaling. Options
  include hilltop bonfires, burn-
  ing arrows shot into the sky,
  lantern balloons, someone fly-
  ing with a torch, Flash spells
  cast directly upward (at -1 per
  yard), and luminous Missile
  spells (Fireball, Lightning,
  Sunbolt, etc.) hurled skyward
  as flares. Assume that as long
  as such things rise above local
  obstacles (trees, castle walls, hills, etc.), there’s a chance
  they’ll be seen. Smoke signals waft about 500 yards above 
  the ground.
  For this kind of signaling, make a Vision roll at +10 for a
  deliberate and unmistakable signal (that’s the point!). Apply
  range penalties (p. B550) – but halve effective distance for each
  level of Telescopic Vision (racial trait, Hawk Vision spell, tel-
  escope, dwarven accurizer, etc.). Fog, dense brush, or other
  obscuration along the line of sight applies its usual penalty;
  someone looking for a signal may be able to avoid this by
  climbing above the problem. Darkness penalties matter for
  smoke signals; for light sources, invert them into equal-sized
  bonuses for contrast.
  Success means being noticed (by friend or foe, as the case
  may be).
  STUNTS
  When it comes to athletics, outdoor explorers use the
  same rules as dungeon delvers, but with some extra consider-
  ations. The following notes elaborate on Dungeons, pp. 7-8.
  BRAVING THE WILDERNESS
  28
  
  As always, the GM must specify the height of vertical challenges
  (distance to the crevasse floor, from treetop to ground, etc.), the
  width of horizontal ones (ravines, swift rivers, and so on), and
  modifiers to related skill rolls. If nothing else, all DX-based rolls
  take a penalty equal to encumbrance level, and the GM may add
  weather penalties to the mix (Nasty Weather, pp. 30-31).
  Balancing: Acrobatics is at -5 to traverse a log floating in
  water, -2 for a swaying tree branch, or +2 for a log resting on
  solid ground at both ends. These modifiers assume walking
  (occupies no hands, gives full Move); apply another +2 if scoot-
  ing along while seated (uses one hand, Move is at 1/3 speed), or
  +4 if hugging with arms and legs (uses two hands, Move is 1).
  To claim the bonus for a balancing pole, the adventurer needs
  two hands free to grasp it. As always, failure means a fall and
  individuals with Perfect Balance needn’t roll.
  Climbing: Climbing rolls to negotiate ordinary trees are at
  +5. See also Mountaineering (p. 29).
  Hand Over Hand: To cross a gap on a rope by going hand
  over hand instead of by walking along it like a circus clown,
  make a Climbing roll at -2 (or at no penalty with Brachiator –
  wildmen are naturals). This uses two hands and gives Move 1.
  If the line has a slope, climbing up isn’t appreciably different,
  but hanging from a belt, short bit of rope, etc. and sliding down
  is easier: use the higher of DX or Climbing, at -1.
  Hoisting: Raising or lowering a load on a rope while planted
  firmly on high ground calls for a Climbing roll (without bonuses
  for Brachiator, Flexibility, Perfect Balance, climbing spikes, etc.)
  – or a Knot-Tying roll, if there’s a secure place to anchor a line.
  Roll at +4 minus the encumbrance level the load represents; e.g.,
  a total of +1 at Heavy. Failure works like a failed climb. It’s pos-
  sible to go past Extra-Heavy to 15¥BL, but this is at a
  net -1 and any failure counts as critical failure.
  Skidding: Those who wish to slide across ice can
  attempt a DX-based Skating roll, if that would be bet-
  ter than DX or DX-based Skiing.
  Swinging: Assume that the effective length of a nat-
  ural vine is the height of the tree it’s hanging from, for
  the purpose of distance calculations. At launch, roll
  against Survival (Jungle or Woodlands) for whoever
  chose the vine. Failure means a weak specimen that snaps,
  dropping Nature Boy before he gets to try his Acrobatics roll!
  Mountaineering
  Explorers climbing a mountain can be at it for a long time,
  and may work together as a team. This demands more detail
  than the ordinary climbing rules (Dungeons, p. 7). In all cases,
  Climbing takes a penalty equal to encumbrance level, and the
  GM sets a further modifier for steepness: 0 to scramble up a
  slope too steep for ordinary hiking, -2 if any stretch is vertical
  enough to require rope, or -3 or worse if a sheer rock face or
  overhang is involved.
  Don’t Look Down! The GM should set a random range for
  the distance to the nearest horizontal surface (splat): 1d yards
  for a shallow slope, 6d yards for a serious one, all the way up
  to insane cliffs that merit death sentences like “You smash into
  the rocks 2d¥100 yards below the party at terminal velocity,
  suffering 6d¥2 crushing damage!”
  All in a Day’s Work: Climbs imposed as specific obstacles
  require one Climbing roll apiece. When using Travel (pp. 20-24)
  to journey up a mountainside, however, roll once per day – the
  travel speed reduction for mountain terrain accounts for this.
  Failure means a fall from a random height (see above); criti-
  cal failure, from the maximum height.
  United We Climb: When the whole party climbs, they may
  opt to do so cooperatively. Use the lead climber’s skill, at -1 per
  person who doesn’t know Climbing at better than default; e.g.,
  eight explorers, six of them skilled and led by someone with
  skill 18, would roll at 16. Apply the usual penalties – and for
  encumbrance, use the worst modifier in the group. Failure and
  critical failure mean that somebody chosen at random suffers
  a fall, as above.
  Every Man for Himself: Those using Climbing for daily travel
  may opt out of group efforts to roll separately. Explorers who
  can fly or otherwise avoid climbing don’t have to roll at all. Such
  people neither affect nor are affected by the group roll.
  United We (Hopefully Don’t) Fall: Climbers can rope them-
  selves together for safety. When someone falls, make a group
  Climbing roll for those remaining, even if they were climbing
  individually (or flying while tethered!). Only the skill of those
  who didn’t fall matters, and the roll is at an extra -1. Success
  saves the victim; failure doesn’t. Critical failure means another
  person chosen at random falls, allowing another group roll at -2,
  and so on, at a cumulative -1 per falling victim. The downside to
  being roped together is that a strong enemy can cause everyone
  to fall by winning a Quick Contest: his ST vs. the ST of the
  strongest climber plus (others’ total ST)/5, rounded down.
  Yeti Attack! Every climber should know who is above and
  below him; see Marching Order (Dungeons, p. 6). The topmost
  climber is the lead – if making group rolls, use his Climbing
  skill. When Wandering Monsters (p. 56) attack, he’ll face them
  alone for 1d turns, then the next person in order will join him,
  and so on, with 1d turns between reinforcements.
  Water Hazards
  These work as on p. 8 of Dungeons, but often need elabora-
  tion outdoors. Remember that all Swimming rolls take twice
  the usual encumbrance penalty.
  Boating Accidents: Critical failures on Boating or Seaman-
  ship capsize the boat and dunk the occupants. Everybody
  must try an immediate Swimming roll. Those who succeed get
  one attempt to right the vessel using the best vehicle-handling
  skill among them, minus twice the vehicle’s SM (or just SM, if
  a kayak); failure means that it and everything aboard is lost.
  Destroyed craft also result in a plunge, and cannot be saved.
  Fording: Shallow water can be forded by wading. This
  requires a DX roll, and those with Perfect Balance are
  exempt. Failure means falling in, leading to a Swimming roll.
  Critical failure counts as a failed swimming roll; see p. B354.
  Unscheduled Swims: Those whose swim starts with falling
  from a bridge or out of a boat, failing to make a jump or a
  swing to cross a river, slipping while fording, etc. never enjoy
  the +3 to Swimming for entering the water intentionally!
  Rough Water: Swift rivers, crashing waves, etc. can give up
  to -5 to DX, Boating, Seamanship, and Swimming rolls. The
  GM may roll 1d-1 for the penalty’s size (0 to -5).
  BRAVING THE WILDERNESS
  29
  Mountaineering calls for teamwork.
  
  Beyond the consequences faced by explorers who overreach
  their skills – e.g., getting lost, sleeping in discomfort, and hav-
  ing gory climbing and boating accidents – are things that can
  harm even the most cautious traveler.
  NATURAL THREATS
  Many of the woes that travelers face are entirely natural.
  Cynics might blame the gods (often justifiably!) – but from the
  perspective of most mortals, such troubles just happen, and are
  distinct from those that result from enemy action or their own
  incompetence. In addition to the new and wonderful problems
  here, don’t forget that rough terrain can be a threat in itself,
  slowing movement and defying efforts to forage, track ene-
  mies, etc.; see Terrain Types (p. 22).
  Harsh Climates
  Some places are unbearably hot or horribly cold. Rather
  than roll constantly, make a daily HT roll to see how terri-
  ble everybody feels. Failure means spending that day down
  as many FP as the margin. That’s how the hero is faring at
  any given moment during the day, and not cumulative
  between days . . . but it is additive with other FP losses, be
  they fleeting (like Travel Fatigue, p. 24) or lasting (like those
  under Camping, pp. 24-25), and going below 0 FP costs 1 HP
  per FP.
  Cold: Roll at -5 without proper winter clothing, or at +5 with
  genuine arctic clothing. The GM may apply a penalty of any
  size for low temperatures or extreme winds; genuine arctic cli-
  mates give from -1 to -5, but fantasy realms are often scarier.
  Adventurers with Survival (Arctic) may use HT-based skill
  instead of raw HT for the roll. The Warmth spell gives +3,
  while Resist Cold waives the roll.
  Heat: Roll at a penalty equal to encumbrance level. The GM
  may apply a penalty of any size for high temperatures or
  extreme humidity; deserts and jungles can be as severe as -5,
  though most aren’t. Adventurers with Survival (Desert or
  Jungle) may use HT-based skill instead of raw HT in suitable
  terrain. The Coolness spell grants +3, while Resist Fire waives
  the roll.
  Adaptation: Suitable Temperature Tolerance gives a HT
  bonus equal to advantage level. Furry races (e.g., cat-folk and
  wildmen) get their bonus against cold; fire-infused and lizard
  men are heat-resistant. Everybody else may choose which way
  their advantage works – and distribute multiple levels between
  heat and cold – unless noted otherwise.
  Sudden Exposure: If a hero suddenly finds his situation
  worse, the GM may require a second roll at the more severe
  penalty, and use the poorer of the two results. This is most
  often a risk in cold climates, when warm clothing is destroyed
  or somebody is soaked with water (make a new roll at -5).
  Sunburn: Travelers bereft of clothing in an environment
  with intense direct sun must roll vs. HT or HT-based Survival
  (Desert) each day to avoid 1 HP of injury to sunburn. Anyone
  with Fur or natural Damage Resistance is immune. A parasol
  or the Shade spell grants immunity and gives +1 to HT rolls vs.
  heat in such places.
  Nasty Weather
  In addition to climate, most places have weather: wind, pre-
  cipitation, etc. Its effects are largely subsumed into Terrain
  Types (p. 22). However, the GM may optionally roll 3d daily –
  on each boring day, anyway – for fluctuations that make things
  worse or, just occasionally, better:
  3-6 – Perfect. The wind is at the travelers’ back or in their sails,
  and the terrain’s usual hell abates – say, a dry day in jungle
  terrain, or a warm, snowless one in arctic. Add 10% to travel
  speed. All Survival and Tracking rolls that day are at +1.
  7-11 – Passable. As bad or as fair as usual for the terrain. No
  effect on travel speed or skills.
  12-14 – Bad. In fantasy, every region has conditions harsh
  enough to qualify: any rain or snow in most terrain, extra
  rain in jungle, bonus snow in arctic, sandstorms in desert,
  etc. Subtract 50% from travel speed. Survival and Tracking
  rolls that day are at -1.
  15-18 – Dire. As above, but the gods hate you. Subtract 75%
  from travel speed. Survival and Tracking rolls that day are
  at -2.
  Adjustments to travel speed affect adventurers’ progress by
  land, water, and air alike.
  Survival and Tracking modifiers affect all uses of those
  skills, for any reason. If the GM wants to challenge explorers
  even more, he can extend the penalties (only) to the rolls in
  Stunts (pp. 28-29), have them limit visibility (Poor Visibility,
  p. 39), and complicate almost anything else that wind or
  dampness could believably make harder. In that case, perfect
  and passable weather have no effect, but bad weather gives -1
  and dire weather gives -2.
  The exact weather is best left abstract. However, if it really
  matters – say, somebody wants to cast Umbrella to offset those
  skill penalties – then assume that bad or dire conditions are
  wind-related in desert and precipitation-related in jungle. In
  other terrain, roll 1d:
  1-2 – Precipitation. As suits the terrain: snow in arctic, mon-
  soon rains in jungle, and so on. Magic that deals with that
  sort of precipitation can eliminate the whole penalty.
  3-4 – Wind. Spells for coping with wind can wipe the entire
  penalty. The visible effects may be terrain-specific (e.g.,
  sandstorms in desert), but the root cause isn’t.
  5-6 – Combination. Magic for coping with either precipitation
  or wind is enough to get rid of -1 for bad weather or half the
  penalty for dire weather. Dealing with the full -2 for dire
  weather calls for both.
  What a Beautiful Day! Anyone in the party may use Luck to
  make the GM reroll the day’s weather. Someone with Serendip-
  ity can expend a use to get perfect weather for a day.
  Weather Witching: Most Weather spells affect too small an
  area for too short a time to benefit daily travel. However,
  Storm can dispel the day’s worst weather, making dire weather
  merely bad, or bad weather passable.
  Walking Between Raindrops: Optionally, travelers may have
  someone with Weather Sense or the Predict Weather spell
  roll once for the party after the GM determines the weather.
  BRAVING THE WILDERNESS
  30
  DANGERS
  
  Success means knowing what’s coming early enough to
  travel in the best part of the day, skirt the storm’s edge,
  reach high ground, etc.; shift the result up one category
  from dire to bad to passable to perfect (perfect weather gets
  no better). Failure or critical failure wastes time on unnec-
  essary prep or detours, or leads to being caught unaware –
  the shift is now down one or two steps, respectively (dire
  weather gets no worse). This rule replaces Wind at Your
  Back (Dungeons, p. 5).
  Obstacles
  Most terrain has its share of obstacles: swift streams,
  trees fallen across the path, etc. The travel speed multipliers
  in Terrain Types (p. 22) account for time to skirt these, but
  the GM may want to game out negotiating such barriers in
  two situations:
  • When a specific impediment stands between the PCs
  and their destination as part of the adventure. This might be
  programmed (“After covering 111 miles, our sturdy heroes
  must cross River Drownsalot”) or random (similar to
  Wandering Monsters, p. 56). The obstacle needn’t alter daily
  progress; e.g., the speed reduction for mountain terrain might
  cover slowing down to climb, but the GM could ask for the
  rolls under Mountaineering (p. 29) to check for injuries.
  However, it’s valid to reduce the day’s travel by any amount up
  to 100% while the adventurers solve the puzzle – perhaps
  bringing their skills into it by halving the speed penalty if all
  the necessary rolls succeed, adding 10% per failure, etc.
  • When one or more PCs critically fails the daily skill roll
  under Harder Than It Looks (p. 22) and the GM wants to make
  the experience more interesting than “-20% to daily travel
  speed” (yawn). The GM may offer an alternative route that
  avoids the obstacle or uses a handy bridge, but this should
  really punish travel speed (-30% or worse).
  A few broad suggestions, with references to relevant feats
  described in Stunts (pp. 28-29) and on pp. 7-8 of Dungeons:
  BRAVING THE WILDERNESS
  31
  Everything in Natural Threats (pp. 30-35) exists in real-
  ity. Oh, the rules take a simplified, cinematic approach, but
  bothers such as sunburn, nasty weather, and stinging
  plants plague boring, real-world campers. Dungeon delvers
  expect more – and like a mad cosmic bartender, the GM
  can satisfy their cravings by mixing “realistic” elements
  into crazy concoctions. There are no rules, only principles:
  With Thorns: Remember “. . . With Spikes” (Dungeons,
  p. 7)? The same idea applies in the wilderness! A precipice
  might be icy, rain-slicked, and trembling, for -3 to Climbing.
  Jungle might be impenetrable, for -1 to all Survival, Track-
  ing, and Vision rolls. And so on. Weather penalties (Nasty
  Weather, pp. 30-31) are specific examples of this.
  Danger, Dialed to 11: Suggested modifiers can be inten-
  sified; recommended damage, increased. Weather could go
  down to “hellish,” for -3 or worse to skills – or up to “awe-
  some” in some paradise, for +2 or more. Cold and heat
  penalties might extend beyond the typical -5. Falling rocks
  and trees, lightning strikes, etc. can have any damage roll
  the GM likes (especially if the PCs possess potent healing
  magic and high DR from gear and spells). Many threats
  can be worse in several senses; e.g., in East Thermopia,
  sunburn might be resisted at a penalty, inflict more than 1
  HP, or both.
  All Bad, All the Time: Effects that depend on dice rolls
  never have to. Fantasy lands often boast perpetual bad
  weather, which might always take the same form (intense
  winds but not precipitation, or vice versa). Particular dan-
  gers might happen regularly, without any randomness,
  forcing heroes to suck it up. Trees in the Enchanted Forest
  could sprout, grow, and topple constantly. On the Blasted
  Plains, a tornado may touch down daily, with only its
  intensity being unpredictable. Near a volcano (p. 32), all
  kinds of severe conditions apply.
  Mix-and-Menace: Dangers needn’t match the obvious or
  suggested terrain! Just as a swift watercourse might cut
  through a parched desert in the real world, fantasy may
  place a swamp on high ground gashed by dry gulches. Trav-
  elers could encounter thin ice and deep cold in a jungle;
  stinging plants and sweltering heat in arctic terrain; a desert
  where nasty weather means precipitation that instantly van-
  ishes into the sands; a mountain where sinkholes appear in
  thick rock and mad goats stampede down the side; and
  plains pounded by falling rocks and inundated by freak
  waves miles from the nearest cliff or closest sea.
  The Outré Limits
  Beyond intensifications and odd mixes are dangers
  invented wholesale. The only limit is imagination! Two
  examples:
  Acid Swamp: Swampland terrain where each day of
  overland travel dissolves a point of DR from foot armor,
  cart wheels, etc. that aren’t either indestructible (like
  orichalcum) or specially treated ($50 per wheel or pair of
  boots). Those with DR 0, including most mounts, lose 1d-1
  HP/day – and injury over HP/3 cripples a foot!
  Rain of Frogs: Amphibians fall from the sky. These do
  no damage but count as worse-than-dire weather (-3 to
  skills, though still only -75% to travel speed) and put all
  combat on bad footing due to squished frog. On days like
  this, heroes whose disadvantages forbid harm to animals
  can’t travel, but those willing to eat frog needn’t forage or
  consume rations.
  I Wasn’t Trained for This
  If conditions are weird enough, ordinary skills and
  spells – Survival, Weather Sense, the Storm spell, etc. –
  should have a penalty, at least until the PCs have spent a
  week in the environment. The collective effect might be so
  severe as to define a fantasy terrain type that merits a dis-
  tinct Survival specialty (see Terrain Types, p. 22).
  Unnatural Threats
  
  Abyss: Arroyo, chasm, crevasse, gorge, gulch, ravine, rift . . .
  a crack in the land or ice runs between where the heroes are
  and want to be. The GM determines width, depth, and what’s
  at the bottom (river, lava flow, razor-sharp rocks that convert
  falling damage from crushing to cutting, etc.). Depending on
  these particulars, the delvers might have to cross by climbing
  down one side and up the other (Climbing), jumping (Jump-
  ing), swinging on a rope or a vine (Acrobatics), or using a spell
  such as Flight. If the gap is narrow, it may be possible to posi-
  tion a log or a pole for balancing (Acrobatics). If it’s wide, one
  hero can carry a line across so that the others can go hand over
  hand – or lower his pals on a rope, climb down after them,
  climb up the far side, and finally hoist his allies (all Climbing).
  A huge break might call for everyone to risk climbs using
  Mountaineering (p. 29).
  Drop or Rise: Going up or down a cliff, mountain, or huge
  rock is like dealing with a one-sided abyss. The GM needs to
  specify the height and what’s at the bottom, in case someone
  falls. Balancing, jumping, and swinging aren’t options, because
  the important movement is vertical. Thus, the usual solution is
  an application of Climbing – including lowering or hoisting oth-
  ers, and stringing lines for hand-over-hand or sliding movement.
  Volcano: A fiery death mountain may bar the way or be the
  heroes’ destination. Treat as any Climbing challenge, but use
  Fire (below) to simulate the effects of fumaroles and small
  vents. For lava flows, see Flow (below). Climbing failures over
  large vents work as on p. 19 of Dungeons: replace falling dam-
  age with 8d+2 burn per second.
  Water: A stream, river, etc. works much like an abyss, but a
  fall means getting wet and encountering dire gators. The
  heroes can opt to try Boating (if they have suitable vessels) or
  Swimming (if not); see Water Hazards (p. 29). For a serious
  river, lake, or sea, boats are the only sensible choice!
  Disasters
  Beyond mere inconveniences are actual catastrophes. These
  don’t necessarily reduce travel speed – even if carrying the
  wounded or stopping to heal someone has that effect – though
  some do. Mostly, they consume HP and healing resources, and
  afford the party’s opponents excellent opportunities to attack.
  The GM might assign random odds to these calamities, just as
  with Wandering Monsters (p. 56), or mercilessly inflict one per
  game session on each traveler who suffer from Unluckiness
  (this can hose his associates).
  An unlucky 13 examples follow. Disasters marked with an
  asterisk (*) are more likely in Nasty Weather (pp. 30-31); if
  rolling dice to determine whether they occur (see Bolts from the
  Blue, pp. 54-55), consider adding +1 to the odds in bad
  weather, +2 in dire weather. In all cases, anyone whose Danger
  Sense provides a warning receives an unpenalized Dodge roll
  to avoid the hazard’s effects at the last instant, even if the
  calamity doesn’t normally allow that!
  Falling Rocks*
  Rain, tremors, and gusting wind can dislodge boulders in
  hilly areas or mountain terrain. Roll 1d:
  1 – Rock bounces in from ahead, allowing full Dodge.
  2-3 – Rock comes from the side, giving victims without
  Peripheral Vision or 360° Vision -2 to Dodge.
  4-5 – Rock falls from above, giving almost everybody -2 to
  Dodge.
  6 – Rock strikes from behind, and only people who possess
  360° Vision enjoy a defense.
  Heroes traveling with shields ready may add DB to their
  defense rolls against rocks from ahead or above. Roll 1d to deter-
  mine dice of crushing damage (1d to 6d cr). Bigger and faster-
  moving projectiles are possible; e.g., the GM might decree that
  in Squih-Shu Gulch, huge stones plunging from towering hoo -
  doos inflict 2d dice!
  Falling Tree*
  Particularly in jungle or woodlands terrain, moribund trees
  and those gnawed by dire beavers may randomly keel over
  onto the unlucky. This is slow and loud enough to permit a
  defense: those who succeed at Per-based Naturalist or Sur-
  vival rolls enjoy full Dodge, everybody else defends at -2, and
  shield DB never matters. Roll 1d to determine dice of crushing
  damage (1d to 6d cr). In scrubby and young-growth forest,
  reduce the damage range; in primeval woods, increase it.
  Where a falling rock (above) ricochets and keeps going, a tree
  pins its victim until someone can win a Quick Contest of ST vs.
  the damage rolled to lift it off – which is when the dire beavers
  like to spring their trap.
  Fire
  Forest fires in woodlands terrain, wildfires in plains, or
  flame- and vapor-spewing fissures in volcanic areas. To detect
  this in time, roll against Per-based Naturalist – Prospecting,
  for volcanoes (above) – or a suitable Survival specialty. Any
  success in the group means they lose 20% travel speed that day
  as they avoid the danger. Failure indicates last-minute discov-
  ery: -20% travel speed, anyone who breathes inhales smoke for
  1d-3 HP of injury, and all vision-based efforts (Observation,
  Tracking, etc.) are at -4. Critical failure means being overtaken
  by fire and fleeing – treat as failure, but add 1d burning dam-
  age and, in woodlands, check for falling trees (above).
  Traversing fire is a death sentence for those who aren’t
  immune to inhaled poison and have less than DR 6 vs. fire (or
  a Resist Fire spell). Heroes with such abilities can avoid lost
  progress and fire-related damage, but automatically suffer vis-
  ibility penalties and the risk of falling trees.
  Flow*
  Moving snow (avalanche), mud (mudflow), or rocks (rock-
  slide) may strike in or adjacent to hilly areas or mountain ter-
  rain. Whenever adventurers are in range of such a peril, they
  get a Per-based Prospecting or Survival (Mountain) roll to
  realize it, with success meaning they may sacrifice 20% travel
  speed that day to avoid the risk – unless their quest specifically
  takes them into danger! In adventure-fiction tradition, if any-
  one uses skills or spells to cause a racket as described in Noise
  (p. 28), the GM might make an extra check for this calamity.
  A flow striking the party affects everyone. Those who make
  DX-based Prospecting or Survival rolls find cover. Everybody
  else is damaged as for falling rocks (above) and buried until
  they or a friend wins a Quick Contest of ST vs. this damage roll
  (in heroic fantasy, ignore the realistic risk of suffocation).
  Lava flows are similar, but weather and noise won’t trigger
  them, victims who don’t reach cover are grilled instead of
  buried (change “falling rocks” for 1d to 6d cr to “lava” for 1d to
  6d burn), and those who critically fail end up in lava (8d+2
  burning per second until rescued).
  BRAVING THE WILDERNESS
  32
  
  Halve the group’s daily progress on a day in which they’re
  hit by any kind of flow.
  Freak Wave*
  Huge waves can overwhelm boaters and island/beach travel-
  ers. On water, the lookout gets an Observation roll. Then the
  vessel’s handler must roll Boating or Sea-
  manship, at +1 if the lookout succeeded or
  +2 if he critically succeeded, a bonus equal
  to the vehicle’s Stability Rating (SR), and a
  penalty for severity. Intensity is from -1
  to -6 (roll 1d), or worse if you’ve annoyed
  lake spirits or a sea god. Any failure cap-
  sizes the craft as explained in Boating 
  Accidents (p. 29), with the consequences
  described there (notably, Swimming rolls).
  On land, the wave sweeps everyone into
  the water and forces Swimming rolls to
  return to land.
  If Observation works on water – 
  or if someone succeeds at Survival
  (Island/Beach) on land – there’s enough
  warning to get +3 to Swimming, at least.
  Lightning Strike*
  In flat terrain (plains, on water, etc.) or
  up high (mountain terrain), being blasted
  by bolts from the blue is a concern. It isn’t
  a big concern except for delvers who
  offend local druids or spirits, annoy a
  thunder god, fail to donate after being
  saved by prayer (Dungeons, p. 15), suffer
  from Social Stigma (Excommunicated)
  or Unluckiness . . . well, quite a few peo-
  ple, actually. Handle this like being
  zapped by a Lightning spell for 6d burn-
  ing damage. A Per-based Naturalist or
  Weather Sense roll detects hair standing
  on end soon enough to try Dodge, at -2
  for attack from above and optionally +3
  for diving for cover (if any); otherwise, there’s no defense.
  Quicksand
  Anyplace with loose soil and water – especially island/beach,
  jungle, and swampland terrain – might have pits of wet, sucking
  grit. In real life, the danger is becoming stuck and dying of expo-
  sure. In fantasy, you’re dragged to your doom!
  A potential victim may try Survival (Island/Beach, Jungle,
  or Swamp), with failure meaning stepping in it and critical
  failure causing the next roll to fail automatically. If he steps in,
  he must roll vs. Swimming (or HT-4) every second, at double
  encumbrance penalties. Any success lets him flop to safety.
  Each failure costs 1 FP – and at 0 FP, each FP costs 1 HP.
  Rescuers must win a Quick Contest of their highest ST plus
  (others’ total ST)/5 against twice the victim’s ST to pull him out.
  Rescue attempts take one second apiece. The rescuee decides
  whether to cooperate or attempt Swimming – he can’t do both.
  Sinkhole*
  Anywhere but in rock-solid mountain terrain, the ground
  or ice might give way beneath an adventurer, dropping 
  him into a pit. A successful Per-based Prospecting roll or
  Survival roll for the terrain lets the would-be victim spot and
  avoid such danger. Otherwise, he takes falling damage
  (Dungeons, p. 19) for the hole’s depth. The GM might pick
  depth randomly – say, 1d yards, but possibly much more in
  areas famed for the sorts of hidden caves where delvers go
  treasure-hunting.
  Stampede
  This pain falls mainly on the plains: a herd of ordinary her-
  bivores gets spooked (often by fire) and comes charging. Real-
  izing what the noise and dust mean in time to react requires a
  Per-based roll against Naturalist, suitable Animal Handling
  (say, for cattle or horses), or Survival (Plains). Success gives
  the party time to try Climbing, magic spells, etc. to move out
  of harm’s way. Each person gets one try, and failure (at warn-
  ing or evasion) means facing 1d slams or tramples. Maniacs
  with Animal Empathy may forgo evasion to stand fast and
  attempt a Quick Contest of Intimidation vs. the beasts’ Will
  (10 to 12), with margin of victory or loss subtracting from or
  adding to the number of attacks faced.
  A successful Dodge roll avoids one collision plus impacts
  equal to margin of success. Delvers can exploit Acrobatics for
  +2, though neither retreating nor shield DB helps. Damage per
  hit is 1d cr for small deer, 2d to 3d cr for typical critters, and
  4d cr for elephants.
  Stinging Plants
  Almost anywhere but arctic or mountain terrain can have a
  bunch of mundane plants that cause discomfort on contact. 
  BRAVING THE WILDERNESS
  33
  Field Engineering
  Most wilderness is full of building materials: wood, stone, etc. Though
  GURPS Dungeon Fantasy isn’t GURPS Construction Work, artificers might
  be inspired to turn their craft-related abilities to outdoor challenges. These
  traits cost a lot of points, so it’s only fair to allow this.
  When the heroes encounter a major barrier to travel (Obstacles, pp. 31-32),
  Quick Gadgeteer gives the option of rolling against Engineer (Gadgets) to rig
  a solution: log raft, pulley hoist, rope bridge, etc. Each associate with Survival
  for the terrain can roll to find useful materials – apply the local foraging mod-
  ifier (Terrain Types, p. 22), and have the best result complement the attempt.
  Every $250 in poles, ropes, spikes, and similar basic hardware dedicated to the
  task gives another +1. This is a major piece of work, so it slows travel speed no
  less than skirting the problem another way unless the artificer uses a Gizmo.
  In that case, there’s no appreciable slowdown!
  Successful field engineering lets the whole party avoid brute-force rolls that
  could result in mishaps – Climbing, Swimming, etc. It doesn’t waive skill rolls
  to operate the resulting solution; e.g., an artificer can use Engineer and a
  Gizmo to whip up a raft quickly enough that a water hazard won’t slow travel,
  but someone still has to roll against Boating, with the usual consequences on
  a failure. However, the engineer’s solution is optimized for that specific prob-
  lem, so reduce situational penalties by half his margin of success (rounded
  down); e.g., skill 16, +1 for a successful Survival roll, and +2 for $500 worth of
  rope, lets a roll of 11 to lash together a raft offset up to -4 for swift current.
  Field engineering is normally disassembled after use, allowing the travel-
  ers to recover any hardware tied up in it. If left intact, that equipment stays
  behind, too. The group can return later to reuse the setup and recover their
  stuff, but the GM should check to see whether it’s still there or somebody else
  found it; treat this as an extra roll for wandering monsters.
  
  A Per-based Herb Lore or Naturalist roll spots these in time to
  avoid them . . . otherwise, accidental exposure occurs during a
  “hygiene break” or while eating. Potential victims must roll vs.
  HT at up to -5 (roll 1d-1 for penalty size). Failure means sneez-
  ing or moderate pain (p. B428) for the rest of the day, penaliz-
  ing many vital rolls; failure by 5+ or critical failure adds an
  allergic reaction for 1d HP of injury. This hazard counts as poi-
  son: Resistant to Poison aids the HT roll, Neutralize Poison
  cures afflictions, and so on.
  Swarm
  Handle monster swarms using Wandering Monsters (p. 56)
  – but in any non-arctic terrain, somebody might disturb a
  colony of ordinary biting ants, knock down a mundane hor-
  nets’ nest, etc. Spotting such a nuisance requires a Per-based
  Naturalist roll. Failure triggers a swarm, which pursues
  whoever messed up. Critical failure stirs up 1d swarms, with
  the extras plaguing random allies! Use the stats and rules for
  bees on p. B461: Move 6, stings inflict 1 HP per turn, armor
  prevents injury for five seconds, and the swarm is Diffuse and
  takes 12 HP to disperse.
  Thin Ice
  Frozen bodies of water – common in arctic terrain – aren’t
  always as solid as they seem. A successful Survival (Arctic) or
  Per-based Skating roll reveals this. On a failure . . . sploosh!
  Handle this as an unscheduled swim (Water Hazards, p. 29) and
  sudden exposure to cold with the extra -5 for being wet (Harsh
  Climates, p. 30). As failed Swimming rolls (p. B354) and cold
  can both drain FP, the victim may reach 0 FP, suffer injury,
  and/or pass out. If he remains conscious, his next success at
  Swimming extricates him, while any failure cracks the ice dra-
  matically, costs 1 FP, and allows the usual repeated attempt
  after five seconds.
  An associate can roll against Survival (Arctic), plus or
  minus the difference between his ST and the victim’s, to save
  the swimmer. This, too, is allowed every five seconds. A con-
  scious victim must decide whether to cooperate or try
  Swimming again. A critically failed rescue attempt dumps the
  would-be rescuer in the water.
  Tornado*
  Wind funnels can form anywhere flat (plains or desert ter-
  rain, over water, etc.). Mobile victims may roll against the best
  of 10, DX or DX-based Running if on foot, or Boating,
  Riding, Teamster, etc. if handling a vehicle or a mount; those
  with Weather Sense may use that instead; and immobile ones
  roll vs. a flat 10. Huge or swift-moving tornados can give a
  penalty of up to -10, and all rolls to see or hear anything in the
  vicinity suffer the same penalty. Success on this roll evades the
  thing (and benefits everyone on a vehicle).
  Failure, however, means that every affected victim,
  mount, or vehicle is pummeled by debris or dumped from a
  height for dice of crushing damage equal to margin of failure.
  BRAVING THE WILDERNESS
  34
  Some locales harbor disease. While this isn’t specific to
  wilderness areas, those are the worst offenders (well, after
  necromancers’ conventions and the town sewers). The GM
  picks the effects, but here are some guidelines:
  Exposure: The trigger for a resistance roll needn’t be
  realistic! In moist jungle or swampland, sure – call it
  insects and say that expensive, evil-smelling “bug juice”
  (p. 17) prevents it. In the Frozen North, though, you might
  catch your death by getting too cold (FP loss to cold trig-
  gers a roll). And in some regions, disease is the land’s
  revenge; anyone who rolls to scrounge or forage must also
  check for illness (see also Despoilers, p. 43).
  Resistance: Ordinary diseases are resisted at HT to
  HT-6. Supernatural ones, like curses, might use Will to
  Will-6 instead. Resistant to Disease usually helps, but
  against curse-like illnesses, Magic Resistance or even
  Power Investiture (Druidic) might take its place. Some
  ailments require one roll upon first entering the affected
  area, others call for daily checks, and still others demand a
  roll a day until the subject succumbs, which grants future
  immunity for the rest of the adventure or for life.
  Schedule: Incubation times and cycles are possible, but
  may add an annoying amount of record-keeping when
  already tracking arrows, FP, HP, Major Healing castings
  per cleric per subject per day, etc. The GM is free to spec-
  ify a duration: “a week,” “2d days,” “until Cure Disease is
  cast,” whatever.
  Effects: Generic jungle fever, swamp lung, etc. work like
  sewer rot (Dungeons, p. 4): -1 on all attribute and skill rolls
  until cured. Other illnesses cost FP or HP, on an ongoing
  basis (“1 HP/day for 2d days”) or in an acute bout (“3d
  HP”). Still others inflict specific penalties or disadvantages
  (“Hard of Hearing for 1d weeks”).
  Recovery: If ignoring fancy schedules, recovery is auto-
  matic once duration is up. For something like daily HT
  rolls to avoid HP loss, recovery might follow any success,
  three consecutive successes, a critical success, etc. With
  acute FP or HP loss, “recovery” occurs once losses heal.
  Treatment: Most diseases respond to Cure Disease,
  which is at -5 without a Diagnosis roll. Curse-like ones
  might call for Remove Curse, at -5 without an Occultism
  roll. Nasty ailments often penalize or ignore spells! Any ill-
  ness might respond to a day out from traveling for treatment
  with Esoteric Medicine (+1 with healer’s kit) or a cure
  brewed from local ingredients using Pharmacy (Herbal).
  A word on infecting adventurers with harsh, life-altering
  real-world diseases like Ebola and malaria: Don’t. In fantasy,
  horrid ailments are plot devices that ravage NPCs. Heroes
  find cures and save the day – and though it’s reasonable to
  sicken them temporarily to heighten the challenge, it isn’t
  fun to slaughter beloved PCs or saddle them with new disad-
  vantages. Save such fates for combat. While battling severe
  illness is a heroic struggle, Dungeon Fantasy is about the
  kinds of fights that involve swords and fireballs.
  Fresh Air Is Good for You
  
  Then make two HT rolls at -1 per full five points of basic dam-
  age received, one for Hearing and one for Vision; appropriate
  Protected Senses grant +5. Failure means the relevant sense
  suffers a penalty equal to the margin – and failure by 10+ or
  critical failure, deafness or blindness – for (20 - HT) minutes,
  minimum one minute.
  DELIBERATE DANGERS
  Assuming the heroes survive the journey and aren’t eaten by
  bugs or swallowed by a sinkhole, they’re likely to encounter not
  only random monsters but also rivals intelligent and skilled
  enough to exploit a natural setting: brutal barbarians, devious
  druids, sinister scouts, and all manner of elves, fauns, lizard
  men, and wildmen who don’t want them in their territory.
  Naturally, delvers will want to turn the wilderness against their
  enemies, too! In the rules below, the PCs must make the rolls
  to set up the situation when they’re the predators, those to spot
  or avoid it when they’re potential prey.
  Nasty Tricks
  The most basic exploits involve giving Nature the encour-
  agement She needs to inflict Disasters (pp. 32-35) on one’s ene-
  mies. All of these tricks use outdoor skills, not brute-force
  magic. They aren’t traps set, detected, or disarmed using the
  Traps skill – but as they’re traps in spirit, the GM may allow
  trap-detection spells to work.
  Detour Ahead
  Most cunning, perhaps, is channeling enemy travelers along
  routes with high odds of disaster. First, search out the area’s per-
  ils with Per-based rolls against the skills normally used to detect
  them: Naturalist for stretches that are home to edgy herds,
  stinging plants, or territorial swarms, or which enjoy regular
  fires, lightning, or treefall; Prospecting for geological threats
  like sinkholes, flows, and falling rocks; Survival for the local ter-
  rain to assess risks like avalanches, falling trees, fires, quicksand,
  sinkholes, stampedes, and thin ice; and Weather Sense to real-
  ize that the expanse is plagued by lightning strikes or tornados.
  Stopping for an hour to do this enables attempts against all
  appropriate skills; in a group, use the best level of each. Every
  two points of success reveals a relevant hazard that the GM pre-
  viously decided was present. Critical failure means an up-close,
  personal run-in with such a problem!
  To get travelers to venture through the danger zone involves
  leaving signs of one hazard so that, in veering away from it,
  they encounter another. This is a Quick Contest of IQ-based
  Tracking, rolled at the moment of truth. Use the highest skill
  on each side. The trickster rolls at -2 per hazard he wants his
  prey to stumble into and +2 per genuine hazard he reveals to
  drive people in that direction; e.g., leaving fake signs to steer
  others toward a hidden danger means a roll at -2, but using the
  threat of one real, obvious hazard to guide them into a differ-
  ent, hidden peril gives no modifier. Potential victims roll at +3
  if they previously spotted trouble (traps, smoke signals, flying
  spies, etc.), and at +3 if they’re following a road, where this
  ruse looks fishy (“Ah, the old ‘tree blocking the road’ trick!”).
  If the trickster wins, his targets stray toward the chosen
  perils, facing the usual chance of danger (unless the trouble-
  maker sticks around to increase the odds) but steering clear
  of anything revealed to make the path look inviting. On a tie,
  the travelers keep their current course, with whatever threats
  that brings. And if the would-be victims win, they avoid being
  tricked because they detect the ruse, giving them +3 next time.
  A Little Push, A Tiny Shove
  . . . and your foes will feel your love. Brute-force methods –
  e.g., dropping rocks on people – only work with threats that can
  be “aimed” to a certain extent. To get enemies to walk over com-
  pletely static or unpredictable threats, use Detour Ahead (above)
  instead. Where a method below specifies preparation time, sub-
  tract this from the time available for travel. In all cases, if the
  GM agrees that a suitable spell would provide a shortcut, its
  casting time and skill level replace the mundane specifics.
  Burning Ring of Fire: In a region with natural fuel, pyroma-
  niacs can exploit Weather Sense and Naturalist to gauge how
  wind and the lay of the land will channel fire. The same person
  needn’t provide both skills. Preparations take an hour, but are
  made far enough away that being seen isn’t an issue unless the
  enemy has aerial scouts. When the fire is set (requires a torch,
  Fire magic, etc.), roll against the lower of the relevant skills.
  Success meets the victims’ Per-based Naturalist or Survival in
  a Quick Contest, with loss, victory by 0-4, or victory by 5+ caus-
  ing the results under Fire (p. 32) for success, failure, or critical
  failure at detection, respectively. If the arsonists fail, the strat-
  agem is simply ineffective . . . but if they critically fail, they suf-
  fer the effects given for critical failure at detection!
  Go with the Flow: Locating an unstable mass of mud, rock, or
  snow over the enemy’s path takes an hour and a Per-based
  Prospecting or Survival (Mountain) roll. Mundane prepara-
  tions take another hour and a Prospecting or IQ-based Forced
  Entry roll, after which it’s a matter of hiding up there
  (Ambushes, pp. 37-38) and setting things off when the guests
  arrive. Those with a magical trigger such as Concussion, Thun-
  derclap, Shape Water (for snow), or Shape Earth (for rock) –
  or dwarven bagpipes – can start the fun without an hour of prep!
  Victims who spot the ambushers can avoid the area; otherwise,
  see Flow (pp. 32-33). Critical failures while setting up this kind
  of thing inevitably mean that the predators become the prey.
  If a Tree Falls in the Woods: In a wooded area, choose dice
  of damage befitting the local trees – from 1d to 6d cr, unless the
  GM rules otherwise – and spend five minutes per die chopping
  away and hiding wood chips. Cutting almost through requires
  an axe or a hatchet and a Forced Entry or DX-based Natural-
  ist roll, with failure felling the tree and critical failure squish-
  ing the woodsman. Then the trickster lurks nearby (Ambushes,
  pp. 37-38) to push on the tree or yank a rope just as his enemy
  appears. If his victim doesn’t detect him, he may attack at DX,
  at -1 per full 2d damage (larger trees are tricky to time) but
  adding any Forest Guardian or Outdoorsman. Defenses and
  results are as per Falling Tree (p. 32).
  BRAVING THE WILDERNESS
  35
  Such an opponent must not be
  encountered with brute force, but may
  be lured into an ambush and slain.
  – Sun Tzu, The Art of War
  
  Like a Rolling Stone: Finding a suitable boulder above the
  enemy’s path takes a Per-based Prospecting or Survival (Moun-
  tain) roll. Choose damage dice (up to 6d cr) and spend five
  minutes per die digging, rigging a lever, etc. This calls for a
  Forced Entry or DX-based Prospecting roll, with failure
  wasting the effort and critical failure shifting the stone onto
  the hapless quarryman for half damage. Someone must stay
  near the rock to shove or lever it as the target appears; this
  requires ST plus Lifting ST of 6 + 2/die (e.g., ST 18 for 6d).
  If the victim doesn’t spot him (Ambushes, pp. 37-38), he may
  attack at DX, at -1 per full 2d damage but adding any Pick-
  axe Penchant. Use Falling Rocks (p. 32) to determine direc-
  tion and allowed defenses.
  Not the Bees! In an area with nasty bugs, half an hour and
  a success at Per-based Naturalist will find them, while criti-
  cal failure will find them painfully. Stirring up (or flinging!)
  a hive so that the occupants go after a particular target within
  yards equal to their Move is a DX-based Naturalist roll at -5.
  Weirdos who know Animal Handling (Insects) can use that
  instead. Any success means the intended victim is attacked,
  per Swarm (p. 34); any failure draws the swarm to the trick-
  ster. This can be done openly, even in combat, but is more
  effective if done from concealment (Ambushes, pp. 37-38).
  Yippee Ki Yay! There’s no point to searching for a herd –
  beasts far from potential targets aren’t useful – but one that’s
  present can be incited to Stampede (p. 33). This calls for winning
  a Quick Contest: either suitable Animal Handling – or Intimi-
  dation, at -5 without Animal Empathy – against the critters’
  Will, or the lower of Disguise (Animals) or Mimicry (Animal
  Sounds) vs. their Per. A tie, or loss by 1-4, means the herd wan-
  ders off; on a loss by 5+, the agitator is stampeded! This trick is
  obvious unless the herder can be invisible to man but not beast,
  but lets the trickster emerge from hiding (Ambushes, pp. 37-38)
  at a distance in yards equal to the beasts’ Ground Speed ¥ 10;
  e.g., 80 yards for cattle with Move 4 and Enhanced Move 1. Suc-
  cessfully setting a fire (p. 32) triggers a free stampede, if the herd
  is between fire and target.
  Traps
  Which brings us to entirely manmade dangers. What would
  wilderness adventures be without people falling into pits and
  dangling from trees? Outdoor traps use the rules and defini-
  tions in Dealing with Traps (Dungeons, pp. 8-9) and Fiendish
  Traps (Dungeons, pp. 19-20), with a few comments:
  • Detecting: Clever wilderness killers conceal their handi-
  work. Detection involves winning a Quick Contest of Per-based
  Traps – still adjusted for Acute Vision and darkness, with -5 if
  rushed, and using the best modified skill in the group – against
  the trapper’s Camouflage skill. Simple success won’t suffice
  unless the trap is hidden but not camouflaged.
  • Circumventing: Where DX or Jumping can circumvent a
  trigger on the path, riders use Riding instead.
  • Setting: Time spent setting traps counts against available
  travel time, but the trapper may reduce this by up to 90% at -1
  to skill per 10% shaved off. Wilderness traps call for Traps
  when targeting IQ 6+ beings who know about trickery and
  technology, Survival when trapping IQ 1-5 beasts. Either skill
  is at -5 against the other kind of prey. A failed roll means an
  ineffective or obvious trap. Critical failure traps the trapper!
  Some classics follow, which should let the GM adjudicate
  others.
  Bow Trap
  A crude “crossbow” cobbled together from a supple branch
  and a yard of cord, rigged to a trigger. Shoots an arrow when set
  off. The necessary woodcraft takes 30 minutes and a Traps roll;
  camouflage adds five minutes. If set point-blank to trigger and
  thus target, there’s no roll to hit. A trapper with plentiful cord
  can give trap-finders a range penalty in return for a required
  Traps roll to hit at that penalty; e.g., 10 yards of cord gives -4 to
  detect the trap, but the trap must roll to hit at skill-4.
  Detect: Per-based Traps, possibly at a range penalty, most
  often vs. Camouflage.
  Disarm: DX-based Traps, plus High Manual Dexterity.
  Failure triggers!
  Circumvent: DX or Jumping, if the trigger is on the only
  path; otherwise, automatic (don’t walk on trigger).
  Evade: Hearing roll at -2 allows Dodge at -2.
  Effects: Thrust+2 impaling damage for trapper’s ST, to a
  random hit location. Arrows that are fine, magical, poisoned,
  etc. have their usual effects.
  Shots: 1.
  Rearm: Yes.
  Steal: Yes. Gives a yard of useful cord (more, for long-range
  versions) and an arrow.
  Covered Pit
  A hole covered with fronds, woven branches, etc. Dig wide to
  block a path (the GM may roll 1d for necessary width in yards),
  long to challenge jumpers, deep to do damage. For a ST 10 man,
  work takes hours equal to 1.5¥ volume in cubic yards; for strong
  or multiple workers, divide time by (total Basic Lift)/20. For
  instance, a pit two yards/side is eight cubic yards and takes 12
  hours to excavate – but four knights with BL 39 apiece could dig
  it in roughly 1/8 that time, or 1.5 hours. Modify time as needed:
  double in frozen soil, quadruple without shovels . . . but Shape
  Earth reduces it to 1/10 normal (for the cover). Adding sharp
  stakes requires a blade and 10% extra time. The foreman rolls
  against Traps and uses his Camouflage skill for concealment.
  Detect: Per-based Traps vs. Camouflage.
  Disarm: No.
  Circumvent: DX or Jumping, if it blocks the only path.
  Otherwise, automatic – don’t step in it.
  Evade: No.
  Effects: Falling damage (Dungeons, p. 19). Stakes make this
  impaling.
  Shots: Constant.
  Rearm: No.
  Steal: No – but if staked, each square yard of wall or floor
  yields 1d wooden stakes.
  Deadfall
  Heavy logs or stones hoisted into a tree, hidden over a cliff
  top, etc. Such free-falling weights are far deadlier than rolling
  rocks or tipping trees! The radius attacked, odds of someone
  there being hit, damage per victim, and time to set all depend
  on the trap’s SM, which also modifies rolls to detect it.
  SM
  Radius
  Roll to Hit
  Damage
  Time to Set
  0
  1 yard
  9
  10d cr
  24 hours
  +1
  2 yards
  10
  15d cr
  65 hours
  +2
  3 yards
  11
  20d cr
  180 hours
  BRAVING THE WILDERNESS
  36
  
  Larger deadfalls are engineering projects, not woodcrafts.
  Divide time by the number of laborers. The project overseer
  makes the Traps roll and uses his Camouflage skill for con-
  cealment (which adds negligible time).
  Detect: Per-based Traps, modified by SM, vs. Camouflage.
  Disarm: IQ-based Traps. Failure triggers!
  Circumvent: DX or Jumping, if the trigger is on the only
  path; otherwise, automatic (don’t walk on trigger).
  Evade: Dodge, at -2 without Danger Sense but +3 for div-
  ing for cover. Those whose step is smaller than the radius
  attacked are hit regardless.
  Effects: 10d, 15d, or 20d crushing damage.
  Shots: 1.
  Rearm: Yes.
  Steal: No.
  Elven Clothesline
  A rope across a trail at riders’ level. Requires a Knot-Tying
  roll, or a Traps roll at +4. Rigging is quick enough not to slow
  daily travel but consumes 1d+1 yards of rope. Can’t be camou-
  flaged, but is hard for riders to see.
  Detect, Disarm, Circumvent: Automatic for those on foot and
  warned riders.
  Evade: Unaware riders get a Per-based Riding or Traps roll,
  at the speed penalty for current Move (p. B550); e.g., -4 on a
  warhorse galloping at Move 8. Those in a position to witness
  another rider’s peril may roll vs. full Per, if better. Success
  allows Dodge.
  Effects: Dice of crushing damage equal to (mount’s Move)/5;
  round 0.5 or more up. Roll 1d for hit location: 1 is face, 2 is
  neck, and 3-6 is torso. Rider must roll vs. Riding – at -4 if he
  suffers stun or knockback – or be unhorsed. If
  damage neither penetrates DR nor unhorses
  the rider, the rope snaps.
  Shots: Constant (until rope snaps).
  Rearm: Yes.
  Steal: Yes. Gives 1d+1 yards of useful rope.
  Spiked Branch
  This oldie can’t drop multiple victims
  down a hole, or a mountain on several foes,
  but at least one person will get the point. It
  consists of a springy branch or sapling held
  under tension – or a rigid stick relying on
  rope torsion – adorned with wooden stakes.
  When triggered, it spikes the target. Make a
  Traps roll to set it. Finding a cunning loca-
  tion, cutting stakes, setting the trigger, etc. takes 30 minutes;
  camouflage adds five minutes.
  Detect: Per-based Traps, most often vs. Camouflage.
  Disarm: DX-based Traps, plus High Manual Dexterity.
  Failure triggers!
  Circumvent: DX or Jumping, if the trigger is on the only
  path; otherwise, automatic (don’t walk on trigger).
  Evade: Dodge, at -2 without Danger Sense, Peripheral
  Vision, or 360° Vision.
  Effects: Swing impaling damage for trapper’s ST (or ST of
  beefy assistant).
  Shots: 1.
  Rearm: Yes.
  Steal: Yes. Gives 1d-2 yards of useful rope, minimum a yard,
  and 1d wooden stakes.
  Spring Snare
  Another one-target wonder, this trap snares the victim’s
  foot and dangles him from a tree as an easy target. If he’s alone
  and can’t get free, he’s doomed to starve. It takes 30 minutes,
  1d+1 yards of rope, and a Traps roll to set; camouflage adds
  five minutes.
  Detect: Per-based Traps, most often vs. Camouflage.
  Disarm: Knot-Tying or DX-based Traps, plus High Manual
  Dexterity. Failure triggers, with the would-be disarmer caught
  by both arms.
  Circumvent: DX or Jumping, if the trigger is on the only
  path; otherwise, automatic (don’t walk on trigger).
  Evade: No.
  Effects: Target of ST up to twice that of trapper or assistant:
  Dangled by one leg until ally takes five seconds to free him, or
  cutting or burning damage destroys rope (DR 1, HP 2). A dan-
  gling person needs a DX or Fast-Draw roll at -2 to reach his
  weapon (any failure drops it out of reach) and then attacks
  at -4 (best-case odds, including modifiers for target size, All-
  Out Attack, etc.), with failure attacking his own leg at 9 or less.
  This approach results in a fall for 1d+2 crushing damage. An
  Acrobatics roll lets him kip up, grab the rope, and cut it at -2
  without risk of self-injury or falling. Stronger target: Held by a
  leg until he makes three successful DX or Escape rolls; each
  attempt is a Ready maneuver.
  Shots: 1.
  Rearm: Yes.
  Steal: Yes. Gives 1d+1 yards of useful rope.
  Ambushes
  In wilderness as in the dungeon, the worst lurking dangers
  attack with teeth, arrows, swords, and spells . . . and outdoors,
  distance and concealment make ambush attractive. Handle
  this as follows:
  1. Moving ambushers stalk using their group’s worst
  Stealth skill after adjusting for encumbrance. Static ones
  waiting for prey to come to them use Camouflage instead –
  and while a hasty attempt still suffers from the worst 
  skill, preparing for at least 30 minutes (subtract prep time
  from daily travel!) allows them to use the best skill at -1 
  per person who lacks Camouflage at better than default.
  BRAVING THE WILDERNESS
  37
  In perils in the city, in perils
  in the wilderness, in perils 
  in the sea.
  – 2 Corinthians 11:26
  
  A group that dedicates 30 minutes or longer to setting traps
  (Traps, pp. 36-37) can always claim the latter benefit. In all
  cases, natural concealment grants no bonus but penalizes
  enemy Vision.
  2. Potential prey uses the higher of Hearing or Vision vs.
  Stealth, or Vision against Camouflage. Adjust Hearing for
  helmets (-4) and Vision for darkness (remember Night
  Vision), Poor Visibility (p. 39), etc., and then use the best appli-
  cable roll on that side. In either case, a party may substitute the
  Observation skill of whoever is in the lead, while a group
  member with Discriminatory Smell (like a dog) may substi-
  tute Smell at +4, unless the stalkers have a No-Smell spell.
  3. Roll a Quick Contest and record the margin; e.g., if the
  targets fail by four and the ambushers succeed by three, the
  ambushers win by seven. If the ambushers win, they achieve
  surprise! They can commence their attack at any range down
  to (15 - margin) yards, and enjoy one turn in which their
  opponents get no active defenses against their attacks; any-
  one tasked with shoving a rock, tree, etc. (A Little Push, A Tiny
  Shove, pp. 35-36) can use his turn for that. If the ambushers
  lose or tie, their would-be victims detect them at (15 + mar-
  gin) yards and aren’t surprised.
  4. Run combat normally, using the combat sequence. If sur-
  prise occurred, those who suffered from it are mentally
  stunned and must take Do Nothing maneuvers to make IQ
  rolls to recover, at +1 per turn after the first and +6 for Combat
  Reflexes. Until they succeed, they can only do that and defend
  at -4 and without retreating. If traps were set but not triggered,
  use the standard rules for traps in battle (Dungeons, p. 12).
  Stealth vs. Camouflage: Being able to set traps, use the high-
  est skill, and face Vision without the complication of Hearing
  might make Camouflage seem superior – which it is, if the
  enemy is moving! It’s tricky for travelers who are crunching
  and clanking along to notice trouble sitting quietly behind a
  dune, shrubbery, snow bank, etc. However, this isn’t an option
  against encamped foes, who must be stalked with Stealth.
  Stealth offers another benefit, too: stalkers may launch their
  attack on any side of the enemy, perhaps picking off weaker
  members in the rear. Those using Camouflage get the oppor-
  tunity that presents itself; roll 1d, with 1-2 meaning the
  enemy’s front, 3-5 indicating a side, and 6 giving the rear.
  Leadership: If someone with the Leadership skill makes his
  IQ roll to recover from mental stun, he may try an immediate
  skill roll. Success or critical success gives his side +1 or +2,
  respectively, on later recovery rolls. This isn’t cumulative – a
  party can have but one true leader.
  Danger Sense: Those with Danger Sense get a Per roll
  whenever their side loses the Quick Contest to spot an ambush.
  Success means they receive an active defense against the
  ambushers’ opening attacks, and aren’t mentally stunned after-
  ward. Critical success lets them alert their friends: instead of
  no defense against that salvo, their side is merely mentally
  stunned and defends at -4, and enjoys +1 to later recovery rolls.
  This bonus is cumulative – if five twitchy delvers roll amaz-
  ingly, then all their shouting gives allies +5 to recover! The
  bonus from a leader also stacks.
  Close Encounters: Rarely, two hostile parties might stum-
  ble upon each other without either knowing of the other, and
  one side might exploit the opportunity more effectively. Roll
  1d for each side, at +1 if any of them have Combat Reflexes.
  Leadership is crucial: no designated leader gives -2 (most crit-
  ters with IQ 0-5 have an “alpha” who counts as a leader), a
  leader with Combat Reflexes gives an extra +1, and each
  leader may roll vs. Tactics and claim +1 for success, +2 for
  critical success. If one side’s 1d plus modifiers is higher, they
  achieve surprise at 15 yards plus or minus yards equal to the
  difference, as they prefer. A tie means hostilities begin at 15
  yards with no surprise.
  Total Surprise: Delvers and dread monsters rarely freeze up
  for long. However, if a group has posted no watches, and every
  member is engaged in some other task (reading,
  spellcasting, etc.), it may be caught flat-footed. In
  that case, insert 1d seconds of guaranteed mental
  stun (-4 to defend and so forth) between the ini-
  tial attack and the IQ rolls to recover. People with
  Combat Reflexes never suffer this extra interval.
  COMBAT GONE WILD
  Regardless of whether it starts with an
  ambush, combat is typically the biggest threat
  delvers face on wilderness adventures, if only
  because it actively seeks their end in a way that
  storms and sinkholes don’t, and can endanger
  them even if they finesse their rivals’ tricks and
  traps. And naturally, the great outdoors adds
  new wrinkles.
  Tricky Environments
  Outdoor clashes are often fought on awk-
  ward or unstable battlefields.
  Bad Footing: Terrain that slows travel (Terrain Types, p. 22)
  regularly features areas of ground treacherous enough to influ-
  ence combat. Examples are ice and snow in arctic terrain, peb-
  bles in island/beach and mountain, sand in desert and
  island/beach, all swampland, and wet ground anywhere. These
  cost +1 movement point per yard (hex) to cross; give -2 to
  attack rolls, DX rolls to remain standing, and Acrobatics and
  Jumping rolls; and inflict -1 on active defense rolls. Combat-
  ants with the appropriate Terrain Adaptation advantage –
  including most monsters native to harsh environments – avoid
  these issues.
  BRAVING THE WILDERNESS
  38
  
  Who’s the Master Now, City Boy? When fighting in a situa-
  tion that requires a skill for movement – Acrobatics when
  balancing on a floating log, Climbing mid-climb, Skiing on
  skis, Swimming in deep water, etc. – combat skills can never
  exceed one’s DX-based level with that skill. This is instead of
  bad footing. Fighters may change the situation to exploit this.
  A swashbuckler with Rapier at 20 and DX-based Skiing at 13
  would be far better off losing the skis and fighting at -2 for
  snow, while a hero with DX-based Swimming at 14 and Knife
  at 13 could paddle around in waist-deep water to avoid the -2
  for standing in it.
  No Room for Error: When fighting on slippery footing (like
  ice or wet rocks) or in a skill-limited situation where failing the
  skill roll out of combat would spell an accident (as when bal-
  ancing on a log or climbing), the GM may require a roll after
  each attack or defense roll. Make a DX-based roll against the
  skill for that environment, if there is one, or a DX roll other-
  wise – and if this usually takes a penalty in the situation, apply
  it! In environments that allow a generic DX roll (e.g., walking
  rather than skating on ice), the -2 for bad footing does apply.
  Perfect Balance always gives +4. Failure has the usual bad
  effects, most often falling down on a slippery surface, or off a
  log or a ledge. If this doesn’t remove the combatant from the
  fight, clambering back up requires calls for two successful rolls
  in a row, each counting as a Change Posture maneuver.
  Poor Visibility
  Another fun wilderness fact is that you can’t always see the
  long vistas and high skies sung of in bards’ tales! Limited visi-
  bility penalizes attack rolls in ranged combat – not to mention
  Observation and Vision rolls to spot lurking foes, and even
  specialized abilities such as Body Language and Lip Read-
  ing. Some repeat offenders, cumulative except as noted (and
  additive with darkness and range penalties):
  Atmospheric Conditions: The -1 or -2 for bad or dire weather
  (Nasty Weather, pp. 30-31) penalizes ranged combat and Vision
  when it represents something like fog on or near water, wind-
  blown sand in desert terrain, snow in arctic, or rain. In the
  vicinity of intense local phenomena – e.g., a tornado (pp. 34-
  35) – the penalty can grow as severe as -10. Smoke from brush
  or forest fires (p. 32) also gives a penalty, typically -4.
  Concealment: As well, there’s a penalty when looking for or
  shooting at foes actively hiding in shrubs, rubble, tall grass, etc.
  (Ambushes, pp. 37-38). The “generic” modifier is -2, which
  applies to opponents concealed among boulders in mountain
  terrain, the crests of dunes in desert or island/beach, snow
  banks in arctic, or weedy growth in plains. Jungle, swampland,
  and woodlands terrain offer vegetation dense enough to
  give -4. The GM might instead roll 1d-1 for penalty size and
  interpret that to suit the terrain; e.g., plains could range from
  “flat and featureless” (0) to “overgrown with brightly colored,
  chest-height ling in distracting psychedelic colors” (-5).
  Can’t See the Forest for the Trees: Tall growth blocks sight-
  lines even when nobody is hiding. Shooting at or spotting
  someone in jungle or woodlands terrain – or any other place
  the GM has put thick vegetation – is at -2. Overhead canopies
  in such lands give -4 for those looking up or down through
  them (notably aerial scouts and their rivals). This replaces the
  penalty for concealment; e.g., someone hiding in woods
  gives -4, and if he stands up and starts running, he’s still
  attacked with ranged weapons at -2.
  High Ground
  Hills and cliffs can result in significant tactical effects:
  • Ranged Combat: The GM can simplify Firing Upward and
  Downward (p. B551) to +1 to hit for fighters shooting down-
  slope and -1 to hit for those shooting up-slope.
  • Melee Combat: The GM can simplify Combat at Different
  Levels (p. B402) to +1 to active defenses for the higher fighter
  and -1 to active defenses for the lower fighter.
  • Movement: Moving up or down a slope costs +1/2 move-
  ment point per yard (hex).
  On steep slopes, found mainly in mountain terrain, double
  all these modifiers: ±2 to ranged combat and defenses, and +1
  movement point/yard.
  Slopes are often bad footing (p. 38), too. If so, all combat
  effects are cumulative.
  Old Elven Tree Tricks
  Outdoor warriors love to clamber into trees. If everyone par-
  ticipating in an ambush makes the necessary Climbing roll at +5
  (Stunts, pp. 28-29), their victims’ visual detection rolls suffer the
  regular -4 for Concealment (above) and an extra -2 for elevation,
  reducing encounter distance in Ambushes (pp. 37-38).
  Everyone who climbs must specify how high, but always
  at least three yards. Use this height for falling distance
  (Dungeons, p. 19). Subtract a yard to find minimum Reach
  for melee attacks exchanged with opponents on the ground.
  For instance, an elf three yards up can only attack or be
  attacked with a Reach 2+ melee weapon or a ranged weapon,
  and takes 1d+2 cr if he falls.
  Treat someone in a tree as being up a steep slope relative to
  foes below: +2 to hit with ranged attacks and to active defenses
  vs. melee attacks, while enemies shoot at him and defend
  against his melee attacks at -2. However, his combat skills can’t
  exceed the better of his Acrobatics or Climbing, and he must
  roll against the higher of those skills after each attack or
  defense roll, with failure meaning he falls out of the tree; see
  Tricky Environments (pp. 38-39).
  Someone in a tree can’t usefully move or climb in combat
  time, or step or retreat up there, unless he has Brachiator. He
  can try some special tricks, though:
  Dropping In: Drop out of the tree to join the battle on the
  ground by making an Acrobatics roll. Any success means he
  suffers falling damage for five yards less than the actual dis-
  tance, and lands in a crouch; any failure results in falling
  damage for the full height and ending up flat on his back.
  This counts as a step, not a Move maneuver, and gives the
  leaping maniac -2 to hit and any enemy he attacks -2 to
  defend that turn, instead of using High Ground (above). He
  can opt to land on a victim beneath the tree as part of any
  melee attack: kick, slam, weapon blow, etc. In that case,
  regardless of how much falling damage he took, roll falling
  damage for that distance separately and add half of it,
  rounded down, to the damage of his first melee attack; e.g.,
  an elf who drops three yards and spears someone with a
  rapier takes 1d+2 cr and rolls 1d+2, halves it, and adds it to
  rapier damage.
  Going Ape: Use a Move maneuver to leap to another tree.
  This calls for a Climbing or Jumping roll. Maximum distance
  is Move/2 or skill/4 yards, rounded down, whichever is better.
  BRAVING THE WILDERNESS
  39
  
  Failure means a fall; critical failure means a fall that damages
  the skull. Someone with Brachiator can swing along at Move/2
  without rolling.
  Just Hangin’: Hang by the legs! This reduces the needed
  melee Reach by one (e.g., someone three yards up could strike
  with a Reach 1 weapon), but gives him -2 on all attack, defense,
  Acrobatics, and Climbing rolls.
  Treetop Duels
  Martial artists, ninja, and elves with Light Walk and a way to
  reach the canopy (e.g., Flying Leap) may roll at -8 to stay there
  – a free action each turn. Any failure indicates a fall; any success
  means being able to operate at full Move and skill, as if on terra
  firma. The GM sets treetop height, which is always too great for
  melee combat with enemies on the ground. Ranged attacks in
  either direction take relative elevation modifiers and -4 for the
  canopy being in the way (Poor Visibility, p. 39).
  Taking Cover
  Boulders and thick trees are plentiful outdoors. Fighters
  behind such cover have three options at the start of each turn
  they remain there, limiting foes to attacking particular
  exposed areas at hit location penalties, but also restricting
  available actions:
  • Cower. Enemies cannot hit anything. The hidden fighter
  cannot attack at all, while his supernatural abilities function as
  if they cannot see their target; e.g., Regular spells are cast at an
  extra -5.
  • Glance out. Enemies can attack the skull (-7), eyes (-9),
  face (-5), and neck (-5). The hidden fighter can only attack with
  gaze and breath weapons, but his supernatural abilities work
  as if they can see their target.
  • Lean out. Enemies can attack the skull (-7), eyes (-9), face
  (-5), and neck (-5); any hand (-4) or arm (-2) making a weapon
  attack (both, for two-handed attacks); and the torso and vitals
  at an extra -2. The hidden fighter can use all attacks and super-
  natural abilities.
  Stone stops fantasy attacks, but a powerful attack might
  pierce trees! An attacker can opt to target the torso at no spe-
  cial penalty – or any other hit location at an extra -2 if he can’t
  see it – and try to punch right through. Rather than define
  every tree, assume DR 36 for one that fills a hex on a battle
  map, blocking movement; DR 27 for one bulky enough to cost
  +1 movement point to squeeze past; and DR 18 for a tree barely
  wide enough to hide behind.
  This is mostly an issue for ranged attacks. Melee attackers
  can step around cover and ignore it. Still, if a melee fighter
  can’t or won’t do so, the same rules apply.
  Diving for Cover: Anybody with cover like this within his
  usual step distance may try a Dodge roll at +3 to dive behind
  it as an active defense against any attack. Whatever he rolls, he
  ends up lying down behind cover. Success means the dodge
  works normally and the cover shields him from an area attack
  (like dragon’s breath or a Concussion spell). Failure means the
  attack affects him and then he lands behind cover.
  Outdoor Skills in Combat
  Though outdoor skills’ chief combat role is avoiding or set-
  ting up ambushes, some can be pressed into service once a
  fight has started. Talents such as Forest Guardian, Green
  Thumb, and Outdoorsman add to all uses of skills they affect
  regardless of attribute base, meaning that they give effective
  combat bonuses when attempting the DX-based rolls below!
  Backstabbing Revisited: Outdoors, DX-based Camouflage
  can replace Stealth when backstabbing (Dungeons, pp. 11-
  12). Either skill works, and whichever one is used, these mod-
  ifiers replace the usual ones:
  Modifiers: A basic -9; any encumbrance penalties; +5 if the
  party is ambushing, no modifier in a stand-up fight, or -5 if
  the party is ambushed; and a bonus equal in size to the total
  Poor Visibility (p. 39) penalty for atmospheric conditions and
  concealment.
  Dirty, Sandy, Leafy Tricks: Wilderness environments are full
  of sand and soil to toss at eyes, branches to snap in faces, and
  so on. There are two ways to exploit this with DX-based rolls
  against Naturalist or Survival for that terrain. The first is to
  use such a skill roll for a Feint – and the target may resist with
  such a roll, if that’s better than his combat skill. The second is
  an attack made at -5. The enemy may dodge or block, but not
  parry, and if he fails, he’s stunned for one second and then
  recovers automatically. Using either version of this trick more
  than once per encounter against the same opponent gives him
  a cumulative +1 to resist the Feint or defend against the attack.
  Sinkhole Samba: Wilderness traps obey the usual rules in
  combat (Dungeons, p. 12), but some outdoor battlefields con-
  ceal natural dangers such as those described in Disasters
  (pp. 32-35). The Per-based skill rolls to notice these – Survival
  (Island/Beach, Jungle, or Swamp) for quicksand, Prospect-
  ing or Survival for sinkholes, Herb Lore or Naturalist for
  stinging plants, Naturalist for stinging bugs, or Skating or
  Survival (Arctic) for thin ice – are at -5 when distracted by bat-
  tle. A fighter alerted to such a thing (whether by rolling at full
  skill before the clash or at -5 during it) can try to maneuver so
  that his enemy steps in it if he misses his roll. A real risk-taker
  might step lively through or over a known hazard, turning his
  foe’s unopposed check at -5 into a Quick Contest: the trickster’s
  DX, Acrobatics, Jumping, or DX-based detection skill vs. his
  rival’s unpenalized detection skill. Losing means his oppo-
  nent notices he’s avoiding trouble and is warned, a tie has no
  special effect, and victory fools his victim into believing the
  ground is safe, denying a chance to spot that danger later.
  BRAVING THE WILDERNESS
  40
  In the dark of the wood,
  amongst branches severed from
  disenchanted trees, with a blow
  like that of a thunderbolt riving
  an oak tree, Alveric slew him.
  – Lord Dunsany, 
  The King of 
  Elfland’s Daughter
  
  If the would-be deceiver fails his roll, though, forget about the
  Quick Contest – he falls in, warning everyone!
  Mounted Combat
  For many delvers – knights, especially – the real appeal of
  the great outdoors is being able to charge enemies with
  lances, cut them down from horseback, and crush the bloody
  remains under hooves. This is a complicated subject, so to
  keep things moving, the GM may wish to use these rules in
  place of pp. B396-398.
  Below, Move means the mount’s Basic Move modified for
  encumbrance: riding gear, rider, and rider’s gear. Top Speed is
  Move multiplied for any Enhanced Move. A mount can
  change its speed by up to Move each turn; e.g., a horse with
  Move 4 and Enhanced Move 1 could go from 0 to 4 yards/sec-
  ond in one turn, to 8 yards/second next turn, down to 4
  yards/second on the following turn, and come to a stop the
  turn after that.
  Handling
  All combat Riding rolls are at -1 with only one hand on the
  reins (a shield hand can do that as well) – or at -3 if using no
  hands (as when a human is wielding a bow). Since even a don-
  key has the heart of a monster in Dungeon Fantasy, don’t
  apply extra penalties for non-war-trained mounts! However,
  exotic mounts require exotic Riding specialties.
  Mounting Up: Takes two consecutive Change Posture
  maneuvers but requires no skill roll. Doing anything between
  these maneuvers – or being stunned, grappled, etc. – necessi-
  tates restarting. A roll against Acrobatics, Riding, or Jumping
  (at -3 if bareback) reduces this to one Change Posture, but any
  failure means falling off.
  Stunts: Urging a mount to use its maneuver to jump, climb
  stairs, etc., or to stop faster than its Move allows, calls for a
  Riding roll. Success means that the stunt works; failure, that
  the mount refuses; and critical failure, falling off.
  Dismounting: Takes a Change Posture maneuver. If the
  mount’s last maneuver was Move or Move and Attack, also roll
  against Acrobatics or Jumping; any failure means falling off.
  Diving off a horse to tackle someone is a slam made as an
  Attack or All-Out Attack, but using Acrobatics or Jumping to
  hit and the mount’s current speed.
  Being Unhorsed: Make a Riding roll at no penalty whenever
  the mount attempts any resistance roll or Fright Check, or a
  DX-based roll to negotiate terrain, obstacles, etc.; at the shock
  penalty suffered by the mount if the critter is wounded; at -4 if
  the rider is stunned; or at -4 per yard of knockback if the rider
  suffers knockback. Failure at any of these rolls means falling
  off. Treat pulling a rider off his mount after grappling him as a
  takedown (p. B370); the rider may resist with Riding, if that
  would be advantageous.
  Falling Off: Falling off a mount allows the rider to attempt
  one last Acrobatics roll. Success lets him land harmlessly.
  Failure (or not trying) means he takes 1d+1 crushing damage
  – or 1d+2 if the mount’s last maneuver was Move or Move and
  Attack. Either way, he’s now on his back.
  Even Worse! If the mount falls – due to an attack, bad ter-
  rain, or whatever – the rider gets a Riding roll. Success means
  he falls off, as above. Failure means his mount falls on him,
  preempting an Acrobatics roll and adding thrust crushing
  damage for its ST to the falling damage!
  BRAVING THE WILDERNESS
  41
  Like Mounted Combat (below), this can get ridiculously
  complex. So don’t let it! Use these simplifications:
  Movement: Vertical and horizontal movement cost the
  same. Ignore turning radii, diving speed, etc. – fantasy
  physics rarely cares! Ignore ground conditions (bad footing,
  pit traps, quicksand, etc.), too. Tasks that require athletic
  skills (e.g., Acrobatics for Acrobatic Dodge) use Aerobatics.
  Attack: Flying fighters get +2 to hit enemies below them
  with ranged attacks, and give such prey -2 to defend against
  their melee attacks.*
  Dropping Things: Roll vs. DX (or Dropping, if better) at
  the range penalty for altitude, plus modifiers for target SM
  and hit location. The victim may dodge. A hit does falling
  damage (Dungeons, p. 19), halved for something that
  weighs 1 lb., doing full damage at 10 lbs., double damage at
  100 lbs., quadruple damage at 1,000 lbs., and so on.
  Defense: Against enemies below them, flying warriors
  enjoy +2 to defend vs. melee attacks and are hit at -2 with
  ranged attacks.* A flyer can retreat vertically as part of an
  active defense against a melee attack, adding another +1 to
  his retreat bonus.
  Crashing: Flyers who are stunned, knocked out, etc. suf-
  fer falling damage if they hit ground. This takes multiple
  turns, but rather than work out the real-world physics, use
  seconds equal to half the dice of falling damage, rounded
  down but with a minimum of one second: a second at
  under 20 yards, two seconds below 45 yards, three seconds
  below 80 yards, etc.
  * These modifiers are the same as those in High Ground
  (p. 39). Don’t apply them twice!
  But Is It Fun?
  Flyers can use missiles and spells with near-impunity.
  If they deign to fly low, they have a significant melee
  advantage. Ground-bound fighters are essentially sec-
  ond-class citizens.
  To avoid having this wreck the game, the GM might
  have worthy foes bring air power of their own to challenge
  parties known to include flyers, and ensure that bosses
  plan for flying opponents. The heroes can exploit their aer-
  ial advantage freely against fodder. However, it only works
  once against worthies, after which the region’s serious bad
  guys get wind of their tactics and they’ll find they need to
  dedicate those assets to fighting the enemy air force.
  The other thing to do is toss in lots of nasty weather
  (pp. 30-31) and apply the current weather penalty to every
  roll flying warriors make.
  Aerial Combat
  
  Passengers: Any passengers give the rider an extra -1 on
  Riding rolls. In situations where a rider would have to roll to
  avoid a mishap, passengers must roll vs. their Riding at the
  same penalties to avoid identical bad effects.
  Unattended Mounts: A mount with no rider does whatever
  the GM decides it does. If it flees, wanders off to stomp some-
  body, etc., then mounting up involves getting next to it or call-
  ing it over. In battle, the latter requires an Animal Handling
  roll at -3, and each attempt calls for a Concentrate maneuver.
  Fighting
  In melee combat, riders enjoy the benefits of High Ground
  (p. 39) relative to those who aren’t mounted: +1 to defend
  and -1 to enemy defenses. Ignore this in ranged combat.
  Maneuvers: The mount acts on its rider’s turn – don’t con-
  fuse things by tracking two different turns. Mount and rider
  each receive a maneuver, and the rider picks the mount’s
  maneuver. The mount can always use Do Nothing, Move, or
  Move and Attack; Attack or All-Out Attack if running no faster
  than Move (that is, when not using Enhanced Move); or
  Change Posture if knocked down. The rider can try anything
  but Move or Move and Attack. The mount’s movement always
  replaces the standard movement portion of the rider’s maneu-
  ver. The rider can execute the non-movement portion at any
  point during that movement.
  Attacks by Riders: Riders attack at the lower of their combat
  skill or Riding skill. If the mount’s last maneuver was Move or
  Move and Attack, melee attacks have -1 to hit, +1 to damage.
  Exception: Lance attacks do use the lower of Lance or Riding,
  but don’t suffer this -1 to hit. Instead of a damage bonus, work
  out (mount’s ST ¥ encumbered Top Speed)/100 dice, rounded
  to the nearest die, ahead of time; e.g., for a horse with ST 24
  and Top Speed 8, that’s 2d. Use this roll – halved and rounded
  down when moving no faster than Move – at +3 to find impal-
  ing damage.
  Attacks by Mounts: A mount that takes Attack, All-Out
  Attack, or Move and Attack can strike for its usual damage –
  most often a slam, or a kick or a trample for thrust crushing
  damage. Someone who’s lying down (e.g., knocked down by a
  slam) or two or more Size Modifiers smaller than the mount is
  automatically overrun for half trampling damage – no rolls to
  hit necessary – if the mount moves through his location! Some
  fantasy mounts can bite, breathe fire, gore, etc. On any turn
  when a mount attacks or overruns, rider and passengers
  have -2 to hit with their attacks.
  Defenses by Riders: If a rider is attacked, or if an attack aimed
  at his mount misses by one, he’s hit unless he makes his active
  defense roll. His mount cannot dodge for him! He may use what-
  ever defenses his maneuver allows, at -1 per level his Riding skill
  is below 12. He cannot retreat, and uses the lower of Acrobatics
  or Riding when trying Acrobatic Dodge (p. B375).
  Defenses by Mounts: If a mount is attacked or if an attack
  aimed at the rider misses by one, the mount is hit unless it
  makes its active defense roll. A mount that hasn’t made an All-
  Out Attack may attempt to dodge. The rider may also attempt
  to parry for his mount, though without shield DB and at the
  usual penalties for low Riding skill.
  BRAVING THE WILDERNESS
  42
  Everything so far candidly assumes that the heroes set out
  with packs full of rations, weapons, tools and rope, spare
  weapons, healing supplies, emergency weapons, and conceiv-
  ably a vehicle or a mount (laden with weapons). However,
  adventurers who stay in the wilderness for longer than antici-
  pated, lose to bandits and get stripped naked (Bushwhacked,
  p. 48), or feel cheap might be inclined to do a little gathering.
  Here’s how!
  FOOD AND WATER
  The detailed foraging rules on p. B427 give a traveler a daily
  Survival or Naturalist roll to gather one meal, plus a daily
  missile weapon or Fishing roll to catch two more – all without
  slowing travel. In effect, looking after just oneself is incidental
  to the three hours a day that a skilled survivalist dedicates to
  breaks in travel.
  Dungeons simplifies this to minimize dice-rolling. In a
  comfy camp outside town, Starving (Dungeons, p. 4) requires
  a single weekly Survival roll not to starve while engaging in
  other activities. Foraging (Dungeons, p. 5) goes with one
  Fishing, Naturalist, or Survival roll per trip – but now success
  collects just half the necessary food, simulating the negative
  effects of inhospitable terrain, natural hazards, and monsters.
  If the heroes find supplies running low – probably because
  they underestimated travel time, got lost or shipwrecked, or
  wandered off on a side-quest – they’ll end up having to
  attempt more frequent foraging rolls. In that case, observe
  that the detailed foraging rules permit five Survival or
  Naturalist rolls a day (giving up to five meals) and five mis-
  sile or Fishing rolls a day (for up to 10 more) if that’s all a
  voyager does. This means that if a seasoned survivalist seeks
  food for the entire 15 hours per day he wouldn’t use for sleep
  or fussing with his campsite, and makes all his rolls, he aver-
  ages one meal per hour.
  Thus, it’s fair to let adventurers make one skill roll per per-
  son per hour dedicated to foraging instead of travel. The forag-
  ing modifiers under Terrain Types (p. 22) always apply. Taking
  extra time gives a bonus: +1 for two hours, +2 for four, +3 for
  eight, or +4 for a day spent not traveling at all. Experts can try
  once per half hour at -5.
  Critical success finds two meals, success gives one, failure
  yields nothing, and critical failure means 1 HP lost to poison
  berries, piranha bites, “hunting accidents,” etc. At the end of
  each stretch of foraging, total each forager’s meals and
  wounds, and spin a yarn around it – a hero who gathers lots of
  food might claim he shot a deer, while one missing many HP
  can claim the first hunter accidentally shot him. When taking
  time to roll dice, also take time to be creative; the GM can
  encourage this by awarding a bonus character point for the
  best fish story!
  Food can be consumed or added to rations. Don’t worry
  about the details. Assume that it will keep for the length of the
  trip and weighs as much as rations: 0.5 lb./meal.
  MOTHER NATURE’S BOUNTY
  
  Options for foraging rolls include:
  Fishing: Near water, or when traveling by boat, a Fishing
  roll (at -2 with improvised gear) catches fish, molluscs, crus-
  taceans, etc.*
  Gathering: On land – or underwater, if capable of spending
  at least an hour there – a Naturalist or Survival roll finds
  roots, berries, honey, nuts, eggs, and so on. Or grubs.
  Hunting: On land, roll against any ranged-weapon skill
  (Bolas, Crossbow, Lasso, etc.) at -4 plus the weapon’s Accu-
  racy. For missile weapons, each roll costs one arrow, bolt, dart,
  etc.; thrown weapons are recovered on any roll but a critical
  failure. Alternatively, heroes can try Spear to hunt up close,
  but critical failure costs 1d HP due to mauling! When traveling
  by water, the GM may allow hunting with Thrown Weapon
  (Harpoon). Whatever the skill, success catches game.*
  Trapping: On land, a Survival roll, or a Traps roll at -5, cap-
  tures small game.*
  * This kind of food won’t help those with Vow (Vegetarian-
  ism). If using Despoilers (below), it also lead to Affronts – there’s
  no way to roll at -2 to “gather” animals without killing them!
  Water Supplies
  Since it isn’t fun to keep track of every drop of water the
  party has, assume that each meal carried or found comes with
  sufficient water to meet survival needs. Thus, stopping to for-
  age finds extra water in proportion to meals; e.g., if the group
  forages 40 meals, or about 13 man-days of food, they also
  stockpile 13 man-days of water. However, in desert terrain – or
  for fools who don’t bring canteens or wineskins (or who have
  theirs stolen) – the GM may require each person to make one
  additional daily Survival roll, unless they can cast suitable
  Water spells.
  Starvation
  Each missed meal costs the 1 FP (and 1 HP per FP below
  0) noted in Getting There Quickly (Dungeons, p. 5). If the GM
  is enforcing Water Supplies (above), this doubles if there’s
  insufficient water (failed Survival and no spare water).
  Magic cannot directly restore FP lost this way – the only way
  to recover is to rest with food and water, taking one day per
  3 FP lost.
  BRAVING THE WILDERNESS
  43
  Wilderness denizens ranging from elves and wildmen,
  through nature spirits and walking trees, on up to druidic
  gods might take exception to desecration of the pristine
  outdoors. The GM who adds this wrinkle to a wild place
  must decide what deeds count as Affronts. Suggestions:
  • Any battle in which the heroes kill wild animals – even
  giant or dire ones – is an Affront, as is each attempt to exploit
  a swarm or a herd as a weapon (Nasty Tricks, pp. 35-36).
  • Any vehicle operated with Teamster tears ruts in soft
  ground. Each day of travel involving such transportation is
  an Affront.*
  • Any woodcraft verging on a “construction project” is
  an Affront. This includes each crack at Field Engineering
  (p. 33); each avalanche started or tree felled for tactical
  purposes (Nasty Tricks, pp. 35-36); and each covered pit,
  deadfall, or similar large trap rigged (Traps, pp. 36-37).
  • Camping involves impaling Mother Nature with tent
  pegs, lighting campfires, littering, etc. Each night’s camp-
  ing is an Affront.*
  • Certain bodies of water are protected or sacred. A day
  on which one or more delvers enter these – willingly or oth-
  erwise – is an Affront.
  • Fire is always trouble! Each time the heroes employ it
  to signal (Smoke and Fire, p. 28) or as a weapon is an
  Affront. Count each battle involving fire just once.
  • Foraging (Food and Water, pp. 42-44), and gathering
  for the purposes of Natural Preparations (pp. 44-45) or Nat-
  urally Occurring Loot (p. 44), often cause ill will. Each day
  involving such activities is an Affront.*
  • Magic that directly manipulates animals, plants,
  watercourses, weather, etc. is insulting. Druids and
  shamans usually get a bye; clerics do only if they serve the
  local gods; and demonologists, elementalists, necro-
  mancers, and wizards never do. Each casting is an Affront!
  • Tetchy residents may insist on silence. Each time the
  adventurers signal as described in Noise (p. 28) is an Affront.
  * Delvers who show respect by camping without litter-
  ing or using fire, driving carts over firm ground, or collect-
  ing only “freely given” plant products (nuts, dead wood,
  etc.) have -2 to success rolls for these tasks, but only cause
  an Affront on a critical failure. The GM may extend this
  option to other actions – say, if an artificer pointedly uses
  only dead wood for his projects.
  How Affronts work varies by location and is subject to
  GM judgment. First, not all Affronts are equal. Fire might
  count double, foraging might not count if people are truly
  starving, etc.
  Each Affront might trigger an extra check for wandering
  monsters (p. 56) – immediately, that night, or the following
  day. Or each could give +1 to the odds of such an encounter,
  accumulating until monsters attack, which resets the modi-
  fier to zero. Encounters may involve angry elves, wildmen,
  etc., or creatures sent by them or their gods.
  For spiritual or divine ire, the GM might start a tally at
  zero. Each Affront adds one and triggers a roll of 3d
  against the total. “Success” means everyone suffers a
  stroke of Unluckiness, a lightning strike (p. 33), disease
  (Fresh Air Is Good for You, p. 34), or similar. This resets
  the tally, but to the number of “successes” so far (one
  after the first punishment, two after the second, etc.), not
  to zero!
  Affronts may be forgiven with time, the tally shrinking
  by one per day, week, season, etc., as the GM desires. Such
  “cooldown” is often contingent on no new Affronts accru-
  ing over that interval. Alternatively, despoilers might have
  to make amends; e.g., a $100 fine per Affront, paid to local
  druids. And certain realms never forget.
  Despoilers
  
  Pet Food
  For simplicity’s sake, assume that herbivorous beasts of
  burden (horses, oxen, etc.) find forage while carnivorous
  pets (dogs, tigers, and so on) hunt. On any day when the
  group isn’t traveling, or takes at least two hours to forage,
  this is automatic.
  However, it’s a classic “bit” in adventure fiction for horses
  to drop dead in the desert, break ankles in the mountains, and
  so on. At the GM’s option, adventurers traveling with beasts
  must try one extra Naturalist or Survival roll, with foraging
  modifiers, each day; creatures with these skills can roll for
  themselves. Any success means the beasts eat and drink during
  downtime, failure reduces travel time by an hour, and critical
  failure costs two hours. If reduced travel is indicated and the
  heroes can’t spare the time, the animals lose 1 FP per hour
  denied, which works like Starvation (p. 43).
  NATURAL PREPARATIONS
  Not everything worth foraging for is food. Some things are
  good for you in other ways, while others are downright bad for
  your enemies.
  Healing Herbs
  The wilderness holds cures for almost everything. That’s a
  point of professional pride with druids, many of whom feel
  that clerics overprescribe healing spells and overtax their gods.
  These rules elaborate on Patching Up (Dungeons, p. 13).
  Antidotes: The Pharmacy (Herbal) roll to find an antidote
  for a known poison takes foraging modifiers (Terrain Types,
  p. 22). Time modifiers apply, too: +4 for a day spent not travel-
  ing at all, +3 for eight hours’ work, +2 for four, +1 for two, 0 for
  an hour, -5 for half an hour, and -10 for an instant “Why look,
  that’s the exact herb I need!” Skilled druids can stop the fastest
  poisons! A use of Serendipity allows an instant roll with no
  haste penalty. When treating poison from a local plant or beast
  (not that from an ancient dungeon trap or a random assassin’s
  blade), Naturalist can replace Poisons to determine whether
  the poison counts as “known” and the Balance of Nature
  ensures that there will be something local to counteract it: +2
  to Pharmacy.
  Diseases and Parasites: If someone falls ill with a local dis-
  ease (Fresh Air Is Good for You, p. 34) or if indigenous para-
  sites creep under somebody’s skin, Naturalist can replace
  Diagnosis to determine whether the condition counts as
  “known” and reveal a local cure. This makes it
  possible to treat the problem with Pharmacy
  (Herbal) instead of Cure Disease for sickness
  or Surgery for grubs. In either case, roll
  exactly as for a poison antidote.
  Nature Provides: Someone without a healer’s
  kit can attempt a Herb Lore roll before trying
  an Esoteric Medicine (Druidic) roll to restore
  HP, treat a supernatural affliction, etc. Apply
  the foraging and time modifiers described for
  antidotes. Critical success on Herb Lore grants
  +2 to Esoteric Medicine; success, +1; fail-
  ure, -1; and critical failure, -2. These modifiers
  replace the +1 for a kit.
  Boil and Bubble: Those with time on their
  hands can spend a full day not traveling to try a
  Herb Lore roll to create one stable item that
  anyone can use instantly (as opposed to a fleet-
  ing cure administered by a professional
  medic). Apply foraging modifiers, plus -1 for a
  repellent equivalent to garlic or wolfsbane, or
  an anti-toxin for a specific poison; -3 for a
  minor healing potion; -4 for a healer’s kit for
  Esoteric Medicine (Druidic); -7 for a major
  healing potion; -15 for a universal antidote; -18
  for a balm of regeneration; or -20 for a great
  healing potion. Repellents, anti-toxins, and
  healer’s kits can be worked up in four hours
  at -5; the others can’t be rushed. Cures more
  potent than major healing potions are practi-
  cally impossible for druids of sensible skill
  (that’s why they sell for big money!), but in a
  place with a +5 foraging modifier, all the lesser
  ones are in reach.
  Snake Oil Salesmen: The GM may worry that
  heroes will give up adventuring to cook seven
  major healing potions a week and abuse Getting
  a Good Price (Dungeons, p. 14) to sell these 
  for $2,450, netting $2,300 after living expenses.
  BRAVING THE WILDERNESS
  44
  Naturally Occurring Loot
  Naturally Occurring Money (Dungeons, p. 14) is especially relevant
  outdoors. No amount of searching will find valuables where none exist.
  But if the GM desires an outdoor treasure-hunt – whether as the adven-
  ture’s objective, a tempting side-quest, or a rare result on some
  encounter table – then Treasure Tables is full of ideas.
  Animal Products: Use Dead Monster Bits (Dungeons, p. 13) for loot
  butchered from the local fauna: fur, horn, ivory, and so on. Combat
  isn’t always necessary; a Per-based Naturalist roll may locate birds
  with valuable feathers, oysters with pearls, rare eggs, bones or bezoars
  left in animal “burial grounds,” etc.
  Minerals: Possibilities include exposed ore deposits, nuggets in
  streambeds, and curiosities of interest to sages and wizards: lode-
  stones, fulgurites, geodes, etc. Make a Per-based Prospecting roll to
  find these, at up to -10 if thoroughly buried.
  Plant Products: Dyes, rare woods, raw fibers, resins, and spices can be
  worth a lot. Such riches are particularly common in jungle and wood-
  lands terrain. Make a Per-based Naturalist roll to recognize them.
  Handle extraction like foraging (Food and Water, pp. 42-44), reading
  each “meal” as a fixed quantity (in $) of loot until the supply runs out.
  Rolls for this might be against Fishing to gather pearls; Forced Entry
  or DX-based Naturalist to chop down trees without waste; Pharmacy
  (Herbal), possibly DX-based and with any High Manual Dexterity
  bonus, to carefully collect fragile plants; Prospecting to mine miner-
  als; or Survival to trap birds or fur animals. The GM needn’t require a
  roll – backbreaking labor expressed in man-hours/$ works, too.
  In all cases, if the value is mainly magical, recognition becomes a
  Per-based Alchemy, Herb Lore, or Thaumatology roll (GM’s choice);
  extraction, a regular IQ-based or even DX-based roll against that skill.
  Determining Value (Dungeons, p. 14) works normally on such loot.
  Heroes can use Merchant before they go to work to estimate the $ per
  hour or per successful roll, and again after they’re done to gauge their
  haul’s actual value.
  
  The reality is that cloudy “bush potions” produced by itinerant
  druids (rather than by local grove members in good standing)
  are seen as dubious folk remedies even by most folk, and never
  sell at better than 10% of list price. The concoctions in the
  example would gross $245 and net $95. A delver who can’t
  clear more than $95/week isn’t trying – that’s barely superior to
  begging, and worse than selling maps of the woods. And as
  each day will be fraught with wandering monsters, the pot-
  tending druid will need to pay for guards, too.
  Poisons
  Those wonderful cures have a flipside: the unsa-
  vory brews that pygmies and pixies put on darts.
  Every environment has its own range of toadstools
  and plants with “death” in their name. To turn these
  into a blade venom that inflicts toxic damage without
  delay, exactly like the fantasy poisons in Adventurers,
  requires a Poisons roll with the modifiers below.
  Critical failure means being poisoned with whatever
  was being made! Such agents only affect living vic-
  tims that have blood and aren’t immune to poisons.
  Foraging Modifiers: The foraging modifiers from
  Terrain Types (p. 22) always apply.
  Damage: 0 for 2 points, -1 for 1d, -2 for 1d+1, -3 for
  1d+2, -4 for 2d-1, or -5 for 2d toxic damage, the
  maximum.
  Resistance Roll: A penalty equal to the modifier to
  the HT roll to resist, from 0 to -5, if success pre-
  vents all damage. Another -2 if success merely
  halves damage.
  Doses: 0 for one dose, -1 for two, -2 for four, -3 for
  eight, or -4 for 16 doses.
  Time: 0 for an hour, +1 for two hours, +2 for four
  hours, +3 for eight hours, or +4 for a full day
  not traveling. Haste isn’t an option – cooking
  too fast yields something that isn’t concen-
  trated or sticky enough.
  Example 1: Poison akin to monster drool does 2 points of
  toxic damage (0) and offers a flat HT roll to resist all damage
  (0). Making 16 doses – enough for a quiver of arrows – gives -4.
  Taking a day out would cancel this with +4, for a net 0.
  Example 2: The deadliest such toxin would do 2d tox (-5), or
  1d tox on a HT-5 roll (-7), for -12. For decent odds of success,
  take all day to make this at -8.
  MAKESHIFT WEAPONS
  In an emergency, heroes might need to adapt whatever
  they can find into weapons! Don’t bother with dice rolls for
  ordinary stones shot from slings, wielded as fist loads, etc. –
  in any terrain, these require a Change Posture maneuver to
  kneel, followed by a Ready maneuver to stand up with the
  rock ready in hand.
  Sticks: A stick adequate for use as a baton, light club,
  quarterstaff, or similar melee weapon that amounts to a
  gussied-up branch is always available in jungle or wood-
  lands terrain; it’s 2d-2 yards away, and anybody standing
  next to it can grab it with a Ready maneuver. Anywhere
  else, precede this with a Per or Scrounging roll – or a Per-
  based roll against Armoury (Melee Weapons) or
  Connoisseur (Weapons) – subject to the local foraging
  modifier. Each search attempt requires a Concentrate
  maneuver. In any terrain, a Gizmo or use of Serendipity
  finds something suitable right next to the seeker! Such a
  whacker is rough (-1 to skill) until somebody takes five min-
  utes to clean it up with an Armoury roll.
  La-De-Dah, Mr. Caveman: Any stick that allows a ranged
  attack or has a weighted or pointed end – atlatl, blowpipe,
  boomerang, knobbed club, spear, throwing stick, wooden
  stake, etc. – can’t be improvised in combat. Neither can any-
  thing involving cord (bolas, lariat, sling, etc.), as that involves
  labor-intensive twine-making. And neither can stone knives, or
  arrows, axes, or spears with stone heads. Out of combat, roll
  against Armoury (Melee Weapons) or Armoury (Missile
  Weapons), as appropriate; apply the local foraging modifier,
  unless the weapon is a 100% stone knife. Each attempt takes
  the time shown on the Makeshift Weapons Table (below), based
  on the weapon’s list price.
  The Artificer of War: Anyone can spend a Gizmo to pull out a
  non-makeshift weapon he owns but didn’t specify he was carry-
  ing, if it’s no heavier than Basic Lift/10 lbs., and has Reach 1 or
  less if melee or Bulk no worse than -4 if ranged. An artificer with
  Quick Gadgeteer can expend a Gizmo to take a Ready maneu-
  ver, roll vs. Engineer (Gadgets) at -1 per $250 of weapon value,
  and craft a makeshift weapon (that is, one with the usual draw-
  backs of wood or stone) of any kind that endures for one battle.
  If he doesn’t want to invoke a Gizmo, this takes 1d¥5 minutes.
  If he dedicates a Gizmo and 1d¥5 minutes, the result is a perma-
  nent weapon – though still a makeshift one, without Serendip-
  ity to happen to be sitting atop metal ore.
  BRAVING THE WILDERNESS
  45
  Makeshift Weapons Table
  Weapon Type
  Time
  Examples
  All-wood melee or thrown
  1 minute/$*
  Knobbed club (20 min.), wooden stake (4 min.)
  All-wood missile
  2 minutes/$*
  Atlatl (40 min.), blowpipe (1 hr.)
  Any weapon with some cord
  5 minutes/$*
  Nunchaku (1 hr. 40 min.)
  Any weapon that’s nearly all cord
  10 minutes/$*
  Bolas (3 hr. 20 min.), lariat (6 hr. 40 min.)
  Non-composite bow
  10 minutes/$*
  Longbow (33 hr. 20 min.)
  Any weapon involving shaped stone
  20 minutes/$
  Axe (16 hr. 40 min.), large knife (13 hr. 20 min.)
  * Double these times without a blade, if only a small one.
  Arrows can be all-wood missiles (4 min.) or have stone tips (40 min.), while spears can be all-wood melee/thrown weapons (40
  min.) or have stone heads (13 hr. 20 min.). Wooden impaling weapons such as these have -1 to damage, and all DR is doubled
  against them. Stone cutting or impaling weapons don’t get the damage penalty, but still face double DR. All makeshift non-crush-
  ing weapons are cheap: +2 to odds of breakage.
  
  Superficially, wilderness adventures are a lot like dungeon
  crawls. There are goals to reach and perils blocking the way.
  This leads to fighting and looting, which might make the
  heroes rich or see them blow all their money on the resources
  they need to survive.
  There are many important differences, however.
  Wilderness areas are larger than most underground
  labyrinths and old castles, and are rarely “closed sys-
  tems.” They don’t offer the luxury of ignoring
  weather, terrain, or time spent strolling between
  areas. This inverts the relative importance of story
  elements in a way that can be summed up in a dramatic axiom:
  Dungeon adventures focus on monsters and traps, 
  with occasional breaks while the heroes move between areas.
  Wil derness adventures emphasize the journey, periodically
  interrupted by dangers.
  There can be just as much violence
  and booty in Nature’s bosom! It’s just that
  rolling dice for outdoor tasks – traveling
  from A to B, pitching a good camp, etc. –
  merits extra play time. This shines the
  spotlight on delvers who have excellent
  wilderness skills.
  OUTDOOR ADVENTURES
  46
  CHAPTER THREE
  OUTDOOR
  ADVENTURES
  The GM controls the extent to which wilderness concerns
  (travel, camping, foraging, exploration, and natural hazards
  like quicksand and avalanches) dominate the foreground while
  outdoor versions of good old hacking and pillaging move into
  the background.
  ON THE ROAD AGAIN
  The most basic outdoor adventures concern travel. The
  heroes might be on the road quite literally, or braving the
  wilderness with the aim of reaching someplace on the other
  side, or taking a sea voyage to a faraway land. Events focus on
  alternating Travel (pp. 20-24) and Camping (pp. 24-25), spiced
  up with Dangers (pp. 30-42). Any Exploration (pp. 25-29) is
  incidental. The adventurers aren’t specifically questing after
  Mother Nature’s Bounty (pp. 42-45) and hopefully won’t need to
  forage, if they prepared adequately . . . but of course things can
  go wrong (Accidental Explorers, p. 48).
  This kind of adventure is the most “civilized” in the sense that
  there’s a settlement at one or both ends of the trip, plenty of time
  for Travel Arrangements (pp. 20-21), and often no need to worry
  about Terra Incognita (p. 20). The travelers can stock up on suit-
  able gear, with emphasis on Transportation (pp. 18-19). They
  might even rely on Allies (pp. 10-15) to handle outdoor challenges
  while they think about defense or plan for events at the end of the
  voyage. In terms of From Delvers to Outdoorsmen (pp. 4-10), such
  missions suit dungeon delvers who are following the advice for
  “Wilderness Adventures” rather than “Wilderness Campaigns,”
  though dedicated outdoorsmen will have an easier time!
  A Funny Thing Happened 
  on the Way to the Dungeon
  The simplest travel adventures are the sorts candidly
  assumed in Dungeons: If the heroes are making their way to
  the dungeon, the journey may serve to deplete their resources
  (arrows, healing potions, FP, HP, etc.) in order to make
  upcoming events more challenging – or, if the trials ahead are
  unusually deadly, an outdoor “side-quest” might be an oppor-
  tunity to toughen up (that is, earn a few extra character
  points). If the delvers are on their way back, they could be so
  laden with booty that they make a tempting target for bandits
  . . . or so unsuccessful that the GM opts to shore up player
  morale with a few profitable encounters en route (“Aha, we
  found no treasure because the last party these brigands way-
  laid took it all!”).
  These sorts of adventures consist of using Covering Ground
  (p. 23) to establish how much time passes, which in return
  determines the number of opportunities for bad guys to
  attack. Delvers are likely to expect trouble and thus use
  Scouting (pp. 25-26) on the move, Watches (p. 25) when they
  stop. Conflict eventually comes in the form of Deliberate
  Dangers (pp. 35-38) – particularly Ambushes (pp. 37-38) – that
  force the PCs to engage in Combat Gone Wild (pp. 38-42)
  while coping with FP losses to Travel Fatigue (p. 24) and
  Harsh Climates (p. 30), and perhaps actual injuries caused by
  Disasters (pp. 32-35). If the heroes prevail, they can loot the
  bodies or stumble upon Naturally Occurring Loot (p. 44)
  guarded or carried by their attackers.
  WHAT COULD POSSIBLY HAPPEN?
  
  The GM can otherwise ignore large swaths of Chapter 2,
  perhaps not worrying at all about terrain, weather, and the
  ideal campsite. The goal isn’t to demonstrate how harsh the
  wilderness is but to exploit it as a backdrop for combat
  encounters. The rules subset recommended above ought to
  give outdoorsmen a chance to show off, which the players of
  such characters will appreciate – especially if their PCs tend to
  take background roles in the dungeons and towns at the end-
  points of such trips.
  Guard Duty
  A great adventure possibility for heroes who aren’t strong
  outdoorsmen is as guards for a traveling merchant caravan,
  princess, wealthy wizard, or whatever. The delvers can get away
  with being hired muscle, leaving their patron and noncombatant
  retainers to handle Transportation (pp. 18-19), Travel
  Arrangements (pp. 20-21), and the nonviolent outdoor tasks
  mentioned in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the
  Dungeon (pp. 46-47). This leaves the adventurers free to look out
  for danger (I See Trouble Up Ahead, p. 26, and Watches, p. 25),
  deal with pitfalls (Traps, pp. 36-37), prevent Ambushes (pp. 37-
  38), and fight (Combat Gone Wild, pp. 38-42) – all tasks that any
  party with fair Observation, Traps, and weapon skills should be
  able to manage, even a gang of pure knights and thieves.
  That said, it’s important to give outdoorsmen their due.
  Adventurers who come with their own outdoor loadouts
  (Equipment, pp. 15-19) should get to pocket at least some of
  what the client would have paid for such kit. Those skilled 
  at navigation (Following Directions, pp. 22-23), picking good
  stopping places (Sites, p. 24), overcoming obstacles through
  Field Engineering (p. 33), foraging to reduce expenses (Food
  and Water, pp. 42-44), and so on ought to earn a little more, too.
  If the whole party is good at this stuff, they might even be
  trusted to arrange the entire expedition, picking out gear, plot-
  ting routes, and keeping whatever portion of their operating
  budget they can save by being more efficient than their backer
  realizes (“And now, a local delicacy – fresh food, not the dried-
  out jerky most travelers must suffer.”).
  Bounty Hunting
  A completely different travel adventure is tracking bad guys,
  be they brigands, dark-elf woodsmen, or dire rabbits preying
  on livestock in the King’s Swampward Marches. There’s still a
  route to follow, but now someone else is choosing it while the
  heroes give pursuit. Unlike a trip to or from the dungeon, the
  objective is on the move, and not some town or ancient tomb
  that isn’t going anywhere. And in an inversion of Guard Duty
  (above), if all goes well, the adventurers are the ones setting
  traps and ambushes.
  For this to work, the group must be accomplished at
  Tracking (pp. 30-31). Catching their prey depends on aptitude
  at tasks attendant to Covering Ground (p. 23), too – especially
  if there’s a time limit (“If the Lich Lord reaches Mount Tomb,
  he’ll raise a zombie army and we’ll be doomed!”). When they
  get close, Scouting (pp. 25-26) is important, followed by every-
  thing under Deliberate Dangers (pp. 35-38). If the party can’t do
  the job with traps and surprise attacks, they’ll also need to be
  adept at Combat Gone Wild (pp. 38-42).
  OUTDOOR ADVENTURES
  47
  This chapter’s advice assumes that the heroes mostly
  explore dungeons, that the GM is dragging their pasty keis-
  ters outside as a change of pace, and that he plans to
  enforce the rules in Chapter 2 only when relevant to the
  story. The focus will eventually return underground, where-
  upon Nature will again content Herself with the simplified
  model of Dungeons. That’s the fairest approach if the GM
  hasn’t warned the players to expect outdoor action, or if the
  adventurers aren’t cut out for the wilderness. To better
  appreciate the problem of character suitability, see From
  Delvers to Outdoorsmen (pp. 4-10).
  However, a campaign can start and mostly stay out-
  doors, making wilderness fun the whole dish, not just the
  spice. If so, the GM should warn everyone at the outset so
  that they can create PCs consistent with the “Wilderness
  Campaigns” notes in Chapter 1, and perhaps swap 15
  points of advantage, secondary skill, or background skill
  choices for the Wilderness-Trained lens (p. 5). Players are
  free not to do so – but that’s their problem.
  With that foundation laid, the advice in What Could 
  Possibly Happen? (pp. 46-50) typifies most adventures, while
  dungeon crawls become rare challenges. All the rules and
  suggestions in Wilderness Adventures, particularly Chapter
  2, apply full-time . . . exactly as a dungeon-centered cam-
  paign involves carrying torches, rolling to determine who
  notices secret passages, and worrying about the DR and HP
  of every door. Enemies become outdoor-themed: highway-
  men, angry druids, huge spiders in the treetops, etc.
  Balanced Campaign
  Alternatively, there might be lots of dungeon- or town-
  based quests, but travel between these is always an adven-
  ture. In this picture, the GM uses Wilderness Adventures at
  full strength whenever the PCs venture into Nature, meaning
  that the group needs outdoor abilities and gear. He also
  warns everyone in advance, as for a full-time wilderness
  campaign – but now the party requires outdoorsmen, dun-
  geon explorers, and urban adventurers. This is the best
  approach for a group that can’t agree on what it likes.
  Transitional Campaign
  When the heroes can steamroll any dungeon with ease,
  it’s no longer unfair to throw them to the wolves and ele-
  ments. Adventurers that powerful can survive a little poi-
  son ivy, starvation, and burial under mud. Adapting to deal
  with Nature soaks up points and cash as the delvers work
  toward buying the Wilderness-Trained lens – or a -barbar-
  ian, -druid, or -scout lens from The Next Level – and
  obtaining high-end wilderness gear. The sharp change of
  direction can save a campaign that might otherwise need
  retiring for lack of challenge.
  The Wilderness Campaign
  
  On the other hand, the GM may ignore Travel Arrangements
  (pp. 20-21), because there’s really no way of knowing where the
  quarry will go – indeed, Terra Incognita (p. 20) is probable and
  Getting Lost (p. 26) is a possibility. Likewise, there isn’t much call
  for the tasks under Mother Nature’s Bounty (pp. 42-45), as stop-
  ping to forage means losing the trail. Delvers should be aware
  that not knowing the route and being unable to live off the land
  necessitate bringing a good range of equipment (pp. 15-19).
  These conditions mean that such hunts are best suited to
  true wilderness adventurers, particularly trackers such as bar-
  barians and scouts, and druids or summoners with suitable
  pets (Critters, pp. 12-14). Wizards might think they can use
  Seeker or similar magic as an “I win” button, but they would
  be wrong. Long distances mean big penalties and high odds of
  areas without mana – and that aside, there’s the question of
  getting there and dealing with the target.
  HEDGE MAZE, SIZE L
  Though tales of travel (“Journey from A to B while stuff
  happens”) are the most basic wilderness romps, the most 
  popular variety in hack-’n’-slash fantasy amount to dungeon
  crawls with sky in place of ceilings, unfettered druidic pow-
  ers (Nature’s Strength, p. 53), and the bloody thrill of lancing
  monsters from horseback. The GM maps a region (Maps,
  pp. 52-53), stocks it with encounters and traps, and turns the
  delvers lose. Such stories often open with Bounty Hunting
  (pp. 47-48), but that’s merely a prologue – the real action
  starts at the end of the trail. For instance, “Find where the
  orcs are coming from and stop them!” inevitably ends up
  being more about raiding the orcs’ outdoor lair than about
  tracking orcs. There might be elements of Boldly Going
  (pp. 49-50), too, but the focus is on exploring a small, con-
  tained area that promises danger and treasure; when dealing
  with this opens up a lengthy route or vast lands for trade and
  settlement, that’s an incidental outcome.
  Such “hedge maze” adventures customarily occur in Terra
  Incognita (p. 20) – that’s part of the point. Transportation
  (pp. 18-19) and Travel (pp. 20-24) mostly matter when the
  delvers are journeying to and from their destination; inside it,
  the GM may hand-wave such matters, much as Dungeons does
  for subterranean labyrinths (the distances might even be com-
  parable). Likewise, Camping (pp. 24-25) can be dialed back to
  the simpler Dungeons rules for posting watches at night. Cli-
  mate, terrain, and weather are unlikely to change much, hav-
  ing fixed effects if the GM bothers with them at all.
  The focus is heavily on Scouting (pp. 25-26) – Mapping
  (p. 27) along the way – to find the area’s dangers, and then
  dealing with those threats. The hedge maze offers a combina-
  tion of natural Disasters (pp. 32-35), Unnatural Threats (p. 31),
  and Deliberate Dangers (pp. 35-38) put there by its denizens, all
  of which fill the same roles as traps and tricks in classic 
  dungeons. And just as on an underground adventure, the
  heroes might need Stunts (pp. 28-29) to circumvent obstacles.
  OUTDOOR ADVENTURES
  48
  Not all wilderness adventures go as planned – or are
  planned at all!
  Bushwhacked
  A common game-changer is losing the fight that follows
  an ambush. Brigands seek loot, not blood – and supersti-
  tious bandits who assume that all adventuring parties
  include clerics, necromancers, shamans, wizards, etc. prefer
  looting and running to slitting throats and ending up cursed
  by gods or haunted by undead. After defeating adventurers
  laden with coin, weapons, armor, and magic items, they take
  everything but leave the wounded to their fate. Even bestial
  predators may “pluck” and discard inedible junk before
  stashing unconscious prey for later consumption.
  When this happens, the group’s top concern shifts to
  Mother Nature’s Bounty (pp. 42-45) as they seek healing
  herbs, forage for food, and improvise weapons. After that,
  most heroes will want their stuff back – and often
  revenge. Whatever adventure they were on becomes
  Bounty Hunting (pp. 47-48).
  Lost
  Getting Lost (p. 26) can happen to adventurers who lack
  maps, landmarks, or sufficient pathfinding skill; those using
  Tracking (pp. 30-31) to pursue prey into Terra Incognita
  (p. 20); and ones who tangle with teleportation, swirling
  portals, and dodgy wizardly patrons. Whatever they were
  doing ends up paused for a day or two of wandering. In a
  region with a name like “Valley of the Forgotten,” naviga-
  tional penalties can turn this into weeks.
  Unless the heroes brought extra provisions, foraging
  (Food and Water, pp. 42-44) becomes important. Having
  brave adventurers starve to death is boring, though. At a
  minimum, they should have extra encounters (Wandering
  Monsters, p. 56), perhaps with edible critters. The GM may
  seize the opportunity to have them stumble upon some-
  thing unexpected: a mysterious henge sacred to unfriendly
  druids, bizarre travelers (“You hear strains of circus music,
  and then a clown’s face emerges from the fog – but by
  Odin, that isn’t makeup!”), and so forth. If the PCs do col-
  lapse from starvation, they might awaken far from where
  they fell, courtesy of someone who wants a favor . . .
  Shipwrecked
  “Everybody drowns” is a lackluster resolution for boating
  accidents (p. 29) and for Disasters (pp. 32-35) such as freak
  waves and waterspouts (tornados). Similarly, critical failure
  on the daily roll to pilot a ship or a magical aircraft carrying
  the entire party (Harder Than It Looks, p. 22) needn’t result
  in a boring -20% to daily travel. Instead, the outcome might
  resemble Lost (above). However, the heroes may know
  where they are – the problem is that they lack a way off the
  island, out of the caldera, or whatever. They might rush to
  solve this via Field Engineering (p. 33), but real adventurers
  will engage in Exploration (pp. 25-29), giving the GM a nat-
  ural opening for unscheduled side-quests.
  Accidental Explorers
  
  However, most of the action is Combat Gone Wild (pp. 38-42),
  which needn’t begin with an ambush; delvers in hostile terri-
  tory are liable to be so badly outnumbered that their rivals feel
  bold enough to attack head-on!
  Mother Nature’s Bounty (pp. 42-45) becomes nuanced on
  such adventures. On one hand, foraging is unlikely to be neces-
  sary in a confined area where travel times aren’t a major con-
  cern. On the other, raiders who go seeking trouble are at greater
  risk of being captured, at which point they had better be good at
  improvising healing kits and spears! On the third hand, such
  regions are often home to entities that don’t appreciate out-
  siders, so Despoilers (p. 43) is likely to apply and transgressions
  may rile inhabitants other than the ones the adventurers came
  to tangle with – an accommodation between bandits and elves,
  or druids and the area’s spirits, in no way extends to strangers
  who upset the balance, however similar they might be to the
  bandits or druids. This is especially likely to come to a head
  when delvers who prevail over the locals decide to exploit
  Naturally Occurring Loot (p. 44) as their prize.
  The hybrid dungeon-outdoors nature of hedge-maze adven-
  tures makes them ideal for parties that include both dedicated
  outdoorsmen and traditional dungeoneers. There are wilder-
  ness tasks that let scouts and druids prove their worth, yet
  enough straight-up traps and combat for uncomplicated
  thieves and knights to pull their weight. Almost every sort of
  Ally is useful, too – druids can call upon pets, holy warriors can
  ride celestial steeds, demonologists can raise Hell, and every-
  body but the group’s enemies is happy.
  Classic hedge mazes include:
  Grove: An area of lush jungle or woodlands – or occasion-
  ally swampland – sacred to druids or claimed by elves, faerie
  beings, or similar nature-dwellers. It might be sculpted into a
  literal maze by magic or millennia of silviculture, and often
  boasts a third dimension at treetop level or in the form of
  realms entered through hollow hills or trees. Such places typi-
  cally contain profoundly ancient and magical sites (e.g.,
  henges), and outsiders who so much as glimpse these can trig-
  ger Nature’s wrath. Beyond the residents or caretakers, likely
  foes are classic wilderness monsters such as guardian beasts
  and animated trees – but even the smallest insects and birds
  will spy on visitors.
  Isolated Place: A region characterized by seclusion – per-
  haps geographical (as with an island, caldera, or valley), or
  maybe in the form of a curse or a shift in druidic power or
  mana. Limited size and hard boundaries enable exact, dun-
  geon-style mapping: quicksand here, a dire bear cave there, and
  little muffin-shaped huts of horde pygmies in the center of the
  Acid Swamp, which is this wide and has these effects. Nothing
  says the monsters must be animals, bushwhackers, and wild-
  men, either. Plenty of forgotten places conceal monasteries,
  villages, and towers full of martial artists, orcs, wizards, and
  zombie armies for whom the area is a fortress or a prison.
  Lair: The outdoor home of mundane or dire carnivores,
  trolls, brigands, or someone else who doesn’t like to live in
  town or underground. Size ranges from “easily explored in an
  afternoon” to “a mountain” (the classic dragon’s lair), and
  there might be a genuine dungeon (cave, mine, etc.) some-
  where in the middle. What’s guaranteed is defensibility, terrain
  and weather that favor the residents, and the fact that the
  locals have access to all their resources, which the delvers
  might want to capture as loot. Any fighting that ensues
  involves ordinary violence – ambushes by tigers whose stripes
  let them blend in, bandit attacks involving traps and arrows,
  etc. – not mystic Nature powers.
  Natural Dungeon: A geographical labyrinth such as a
  branching canyon, a pattern of icebergs separated by leads and
  polynyas, or land thick with hoodoos and buttes. This is an
  obstacle until the GM stocks it with perils, transforming it into
  a traditional dungeon minus a roof. The crucial difference
  from the isolated place is that there are no borders inside of
  which the entire region is explorable – delvers must stick to
  specific paths, and the network might meander indefinitely,
  generated randomly as the group travels. Pirates use such
  locales to hide treasure (the proliferation of landmarks makes
  it easy to return to the booty), while mad wizards turn them
  into giant mazes for grandiose experiments.
  Unnatural Place: A weird piece of land that makes no sense
  – yet there it is anyway. This doesn’t mean an isolated clump of
  trees or a desert oasis, but something like glassy black rocks
  that emit unnerving whistling sounds, thrusting obscenely out
  of the sea as an affront to the gods. Usually, Elder Things are
  involved. It could superficially resemble any of the previous
  examples. However, explorers who look up may count the
  wrong number of suns; terrain and weather rarely match the
  expectations of standard Survival skills and Weather spells;
  gravity gets tricky; and arch-shaped rocks tend to be portals.
  Dwellers are either twisted (giant fungus, mutant animals, etc.)
  or distressingly squiddy.
  BOLDLY GOING
  The most expansive kind of wilderness tale involves outdoor
  exploration for its own sake. The GM presents the players with
  a region – perhaps a modest forest or swamp for a brief adven-
  ture, but up to a continent if the whole campaign is about
  explorers – and a reason to go look at it. Traditional fantasy
  motivations are being paid well by a ruler or a guildmaster to
  find a mythical place, forge a new trade route, open up virgin
  territory for pioneers, or scout a rival nation . . . and somebody
  has to create all those maps that other delvers get sold in tav-
  erns. Whatever their mission, the heroes roam the area not
  with the objective of journeying from A to B (On the Road
  Again, pp. 46-48) or hacking and slashing (Hedge Maze, Size L,
  pp. 48-49), but simply to learn what’s there.
  This is grand stuff, so any rule in Wilderness Adventures
  might arise. Exploration (pp. 25-29), particularly Information
  Gathering (p. 26) and Mapping (p. 27), comes first for obvious
  reasons; Natural Threats (pp. 30-35) outweighs Deliberate
  Dangers (pp. 35-38) unless the heroes are specifically scouting
  hostile territory; and the need to function away from town for
  long periods gives extra weight to Mother Nature’s Bounty
  (pp. 42-45). On the other hand, it’s difficult to use Travel
  Arrangements (pp. 20-21) when going into Terra Incognita (p. 20),
  and Tracking (pp. 30-31) isn’t likely to be central to the mission. 
  OUTDOOR ADVENTURES
  49
  A hideously amplified world of
  lurking horrors.
  – H.P. Lovecraft, 
  At the Mountains of Madness
  
  The GM is also going to want to make
  extensive use of all the rules for cli-
  mate, terrain, and weather – discover-
  ing what a place is like is one of an
  explorer’s tasks, and throwing the
  adventurers into new environments is
  part of the fun!
  The scope of the job and the need to
  prepare for the unknown practically
  demand a party with dedicated out-
  doorsmen. Even if they follow all the
  “Wilderness Adventures” advice in
  From Delvers to Outdoorsmen (pp. 4-
  10) to the letter, a completely dungeon-
  or town-oriented group won’t be able
  to cut it, however brief the adventure.
  This is truly a challenge best saved for
  a campaign about wilderness experts
  with suitable abilities, allies (pp. 10-
  15), and equipment (pp. 15-19) – see
  The Wilderness Campaign (p. 47).
  The scope of a full-fledged explo-
  ration campaign has major ramifica-
  tions for the GM, too. Follow the advice
  in Sandbox Play (above), paying extra
  attention to towns and side-quests.
  Strategically place towns so that the
  heroes can periodically visit known ter-
  ritory to report to their patron’s factor,
  draw pay, and resupply – but also throw
  in unexpected settlements (wood-elf tree
  villages, forgotten city-states, mountain-
  top monasteries, etc.) that double as dis-
  coveries and opportunities to stock up
  on cool stuff. Side-quests might include
  rumors and offers acquired while visit-
  ing civilization, missions proposed by
  total strangers encountered in the wilds,
  and hedge mazes and subterranean
  dungeons to raid. Don’t lose sight of the
  fact that Dungeon Fantasy explorers
  are still delvers in search of slaying and
  looting, and that ultimately their mis-
  sion isn’t to roam but to find – whether
  that means strange civilizations, forgot-
  ten valleys, or ancient ruins.
  OUTDOOR ADVENTURES
  50
  Sandbox Play
  It’s possible to run a campaign where the delvers crisscross a huge desert at
  their whim. Think of the desert as a sandbox and what the heroes get up to there
  as play. Okay, that’s stretching the metaphor – there’s also icebox play in arctic
  lands, bento-box play in settings with a variety of tasty terrain, and so on. “Huge”
  and “at their whim” are the operative terms, as they confront the GM with seri-
  ous challenges.
  The GM could spend every waking moment mapping territory and stocking
  it with planned encounters, but that’s a ridiculous workload, even for something
  the size of a county. A more practical approach is in order:
  1. Sketch a large-scale map in vague terms; e.g., “500 square miles of swamp
  here, a mountain there, and a 666-mile-long river in between.”
  2. Create tables of random encounters, disasters, weather, etc. for each major zone
  (in the example above: swamp, mountain, and river). Also think about super-
  natural conditions there; see Despoilers (p. 43) and Nature’s Strength (p. 53).
  3. Draft reusable record sheets for opponents met in random encounters.
  4. Dot the map with towns where heroes can heal, train, trade, and so on.
  5. Not too close to the towns, scatter dungeons – both standard ones and the
  groves, lairs, etc. in Hedge Maze, Size L (pp. 48-49).
  Note: Don’t write up those towns or dungeons just yet!
  That’s still a massive undertaking, but the delvers’ speed limit (Travel, pp. 20-
  24) lets the GM tackle it in stages. Create random tables for a place – and work
  out details about towns and dungeons – only when the heroes are poised to go
  there. Stat opponents on the same basis, and recycle old ones when possible; the
  players need never know that Desert Bandits are Lake Pirates with Survival
  (Desert) replacing Boating.
  For the deluxe treatment, don’t restrict available quests to assorted hedge
  mazes. Each town and neutral-to-friendly wilderness encounter might offer
  Guard Duty (p. 47) and Bounty Hunting (pp. 47-48) missions – which could be
  random (like weather and disasters), set (this town has this offer), or inevitable
  (wherever the PCs go next, a wealthy merchant needs guards). Fantasy lands
  should also boast weirdness such as portals that open in certain places at partic-
  ular times, and ghost ships and mythical cities that blink around the map.
  Most sweeping is an epic story: war, undead invasion, creeping ice age sent
  by the Frost God, or whatever. This unfolds alongside the adventurers’ activities,
  moving enemies through the region, triggering time-dependent quests, and per-
  haps altering the map. The heroes enjoy free will but aren’t the only ones play-
  ing in the sandbox.
  This advice is best-suited to exploration campaigns (Boldly Going, pp. 49-50),
  but not limited to them. Any game with wilderness adventures and player choice
  could benefit from such an approach.
  Every Dungeon Fantasy supplement before this one
  assumed a nameless town with a generic Town Watch, in a
  realm with vague Merchants’, Thieves’, and Wizards’ Guilds,
  all ruled over by an unnamed King. There’s a Frozen North
  for barbarians to come from, a Forbidden East for ninja, and
  a Steamy South for savage guards, but that isn’t exactly spe-
  cific. Where names appear – as with the drinking establish-
  ments of Taverns, certain items in Dungeon Fantasy 6: 40
  Artifacts, the land of Teclá mentioned in Dungeon Fantasy
  Monsters 1, and the locales in Dungeon Fantasy Adventure
  1: Mirror of the Fire Demon – that’s all they are: names.
  Nothing sits on a well-defined map.
  For the most part that’s fine! The GM never has to map a
  Dungeon Fantasy backdrop, because the object of the game is
  slaying and looting – not politics or visiting Marge the Barbar-
  ian’s in-laws (certainly an adventure, but not the fun kind). 
  UNDER THE BIG SKY
  
  The Area Knowledge skill doesn’t even show up on standard
  templates. The whole world can be left in terms of travel times
  and whimsical names.
  That doesn’t fly for campaigns with lots of wilderness adven-
  tures, much less for full-on wilderness campaigns (p. 47). (“Fly”
  is an apt choice of words when the heroes travel by magic car-
  pet or Flight spells, and expect to see landmarks zipping past.)
  It’s especially inadequate for tales of discovery (Boldly Going,
  pp. 49-50) and for sandbox play (p. 50) of any kind. Roaming
  and exploration call for definiteness, if only so that the GM can
  answer questions like “What’s along the way?” and “Where do
  the delvers end up if they get lost?”
  In short, wilderness adventures call for settings.
  SCALE
  How large a realm is good? The GM decides, but given that
  adding new lands at the edges of a map is easy while convinc-
  ing adventurers that a location didn’t exist after all is nearly
  impossible, it’s wise to start small. One day’s travel around a
  town at the party’s best possible speed (Covering Ground,
  p. 23), a nominal parish or canton, is reasonable; even a county
  is getting ambitious. Remember that area increases with dis-
  tance squared; e.g., going from a 20-mile to a 40-mile radius
  quadruples the enclosed territory, allowing four times as many
  adventures to take place there without overlap.
  Travel adventures (On the Road Again, pp. 46-48) call for the
  GM to plot a route long enough to generate a story, however. A
  solid approach is to decide on a length of time – using the
  length of the caravan-guard contract, the number of daily
  encounters planned, or whatever – and multiply this by the
  party’s speed to get a distance. Map that path, plus a swath one
  day’s travel to either side of it (or a distance equal to sighting
  radius, for travelers capable of Aerial Scouting and Mapping,
  p. 27) in case the adventurers get lost or nosy.
  Exploration adventures should heed the advice in Sandbox
  Play (p. 50) and start with large-but-vague maps: counties at
  least, maybe even countries. Fill in detail ahead of the group as
  they move, just as for other wilderness quests. Painting the big
  picture in broad strokes helps when the explorers stray from
  the predicted course, because this allows the GM to pick a
  landmark – town, monster lair, river, etc. – and fast-forward
  the party to it: “The next week goes smoothly. You find plenty
  to eat, and arrive at a strange henge.”
  The distance (or time) between points of interest can vary
  enormously. The customary separation of low-tech towns is
  one day’s travel. Merely creepy sites might be no further from
  civilization than that – but anything actively dangerous should
  be more than 24 hours’ travel from the nearest settlement at
  the monsters’ speed (discouraging Things that won’t travel by
  daylight), unless the story is about the villagers who foolishly
  farm in the shadow of Death Mountain. Gaps between such set
  pieces, and between true cities, should be large enough to con-
  stitute a journey worth planning for; if the heroes could easily
  “wing it” for that long, it isn’t long enough.
  BOUNDARIES
  As Scale (above) makes clear, most campaigns benefit
  from confinement, if only for the GM’s sanity. Confining
  adventurers is tricky, however. The old standbys of writing
  “Here Be Monsters” on the map and telling horror stories
  about what awaits beyond the Mountains of Insanity won’t
  work on fearless monster killers. As well, a certain kind of
  hero (and gamer!) likes little better than to travel in one
  direction forever “just because” – story be damned – while
  the delver who can fly might argue that he paid points for the
  ability, so he’s entitled to use it.
  If the GM is willing to push back the edge of the known
  world at a moment’s notice, none of this need be a problem;
  arguably, unrestricted travel is fundamental to Sandbox Play
  (p. 50). However, if the campaign is supposed to start small
  and grow gradually, boundaries are required. The delvers will
  force these outward as they visit Grandmother’s house, drop in
  on Marge’s in-laws, and so on – and that’s fine, since it’s part of
  the point of having adventures! – but they can’t simply up and
  leave from Day One. This calls for some practical ways to con-
  trol how far afield they roam.
  Physical Geography: The most obvious boundaries exist in
  the real world: icy wastes, lofty mountains, swift rivers, vast
  deserts, etc. Spell out the penalties and consequences by mak-
  ing them common knowledge, spinning them into tavern
  tales, or having them be evident at a glance (“You reach the
  Mountains of Insanity. In game terms, you just know that
  you’ll be making daily Climbing rolls at -10, with failure lead-
  ing to 9d+1 crushing damage.”). This won’t work forever, but
  the heroes will need a few adventures to earn enough points
  to meet the challenges, giving the GM a chance to plan what
  lies beyond.
  Supernatural Geography: Extended regions without mana,
  natural energies (Nature’s Strength, p. 53), sanctity, and so on
  will discourage parties that rely on magic for travel, healing,
  and survival – and quite likely those that count on it for com-
  bat. Again, this is a stopgap, as eventually the wizard will learn
  to climb, the group will recruit a talented martial artist or men-
  talist whose power comes from within, etc. However, bound-
  aries of this kind offer a near-foolproof way to limit flying
  carpets and similar conveyances. Be sure to warn everyone in
  advance so that it doesn’t seem unfairly arbitrary, though!
  OUTDOOR ADVENTURES
  51
  It is always sunrise somewhere; the dew is never all dried at once; 
  a shower is forever falling; vapor ever rising. Eternal sunrise, eternal sunset,
  eternal dawn and gloaming, on seas and continents and islands, each in its
  turn, as the round earth rolls.
  – John Muir, John of the Mountains
  
  Resources: Overcoming physical and supernatural geogra-
  phy – and sheer distance – can call for a staggering material
  outlay. If the only way across the Infinite Ocean is on a tall ship
  that costs $100,000 to $1 million (no sane captain would hire
  out his vessel for such a voyage!) even before taking on a crew
  and laying in tons of supplies, the heroes will have to loot a lot
  of bodies. While still a temporary measure, this gives the GM
  more control: ships, Amulets of Mana Control, etc. needn’t be
  for sale until the GM is ready to run that adventure, perhaps
  when a patron is impressed enough to invest in the party.
  Mortal Laws: Going some places might be Not Allowed.
  Heroes with Honesty won’t earn points if they try; the threat of
  Social Stigma (Criminal Record) (Dungeons, p. 4) will dis-
  suade others. Hard cases might need to meet the Rangers, who
  somehow manage to keep delvers in line just as do the Town
  Watch and King’s Men. In fantasy, it’s reasonable to assume
  that wizards will learn of transgressions that merit the Stigma,
  and that boss lawmen have things like Higher Purpose 10
  (Enforcing the border laws). To get around this, the adventur-
  ers need to prove their mettle and earn permission.
  Divine Laws: Some places might be cursed so badly that
  nobody dares enter. Again, make the consequences clear: “Spell-
  casters will be powerless, and everyone will suffer Unlucki-
  ness and cosmic bolts of divine retribution: 6d burning at
  noon.” Circumventing this is like dealing with harsh super-
  natural geography and mortal laws. It involves quests in the
  name of the gods or spirits, sizeable sacrifices, and praying
  that the unholy warrior doesn’t tire of his temporary Vow of
  Niceness, kick a bunny, and strand the party in the Swamp
  of Demise as it all turns to acidic quicksand.
  Hard Boundaries
  Everything so far assumes that the edges of the explorable
  world are “soft” (if harsh) boundaries. This doesn’t have to be so.
  Remember: fantasy! The world can be flat, and those who go too
  far simply fall off and die. The gods are real, and attempts to
  climb up the side of their home could be outright fatal. These
  sorts of things are known to even the dumbest 25-point drunk-
  ard, so 250-point heroes will definitely have a warning.
  Actually, it’s a lame fantasy world that doesn’t have at least
  one place that’s never, ever accessible to mortals, so be sure to
  include a few.
  MAPS
  Once you have an idea of what kinds of adventures will
  take place, the distances these involve, and what boundaries
  hem in the action, it’s incredibly useful to create at least a
  sketchy map. Sandbox Play (p. 50) touches on the big picture:
  outline the land and water, split it up into zones (swaths of
  terrain, countries, or whatever), and dot it with important
  spots (e.g., towns and the sites of future dungeons). Some
  things to include:
  Compass Rose: There should be a cardinal direction from
  which angles are measured; “north” works fine. It’s helpful to
  mark dice rolls on headings for randomly determining enemy
  movements, where people stray when lost, and so on.
  Possibilities include rolling 1d and going with hex-sides;
  rolling 1d even/odd two or three times to get four or eight
  results which correspond to the traditional compass points;
  and rolling a four- or eight-sided die to identical effect.
  Map Scale: Be sure to specify one – preferably one that just
  fits the present campaign scale onto whatever size page is
  being used, so it’s easy to mark important details on the map.
  For instance, when starting with a 20-mile radius centered on
  a town, that’s a circle 40 miles wide, so five miles per inch
  makes it possible to cram everything onto a letter-sized or A4
  sheet of hex or graph paper.
  Map Key: Define symbols for terrain types (p. 22) – and if
  using hex or graph paper, mark each tile with such a symbol so
  that you know what the area is like when the heroes visit. Also
  pick line patterns or colors that define roads, rivers, contours,
  mana shifts, political boundaries, and so on; it’s often best to
  have these follow the edges of tiles, so that there are no doubts
  about partial hexes or squares.
  Labels: Big swaths of terrain, important roads and rivers,
  political regions, zones of unusual mana, and so on ought to
  get evocative names, which should appear on the map.
  Features: Towns, cities, dungeons, hedge mazes, and other
  important points should be marked with labeled symbols. If
  there are lots of them, invent generic symbols and stick to let-
  ter codes for labels. If they’re relatively few in number, the map
  will be easier to use if it indicates each with a memorable sym-
  bol (e.g., a little henge) and its name. Do the same for bound-
  aries, where distinct from anything already marked.
  Annotating the Map
  As the party journeys, forages, fights battles, and so on,
  update the map to reflect their story. Important details include:
  Routes: Mark the adventurers’ paths to show where they’ve
  been and what Eidetic Memory and direction-finding magic
  can recall. When abridging travel to something like “Five days
  pass, the going is easy, and you arrive unscathed,” be sure to
  show that – in the absence of pressing plot reasons, such a trail
  should work the same way every time, making it valuable for
  future travels (by the party or whomever buys their maps).
  Events: If the heroes set a huge fire, lose an important item,
  bury a friend, leave 100 dead orcs in a pile, or whatever, indi-
  cate that. It could be the seed of an entire adventure later on!
  (“We think the zombie horde started at that bend where you
  massacred all those orcs last year.”)
  OUTDOOR ADVENTURES
  52
  There grew up, then, 
  a gentleman’s agreement
  among mapmakers of 
  the period to keep the place
  as secret as possible, lest
  tourists flock there and die.
  – William Goldman,
  The Princess Bride
  
  Random Features: If generating Wilderness Woes (below)
  randomly, record the swamps, abysses, mudslide-prone hills,
  etc. When extending this to actual dungeons and the like, mark
  those as well. Also note spots where the heroes use Serendipity
  to find ideal campsites, oases, ore deposits, or whatever; such
  things become permanent parts of the game world, just like
  easy paths introduced by the GM.
  This can make the map quite busy, which is why it’s advis-
  able to use as fine a scale as is practical – more room for anno-
  tation. Good mapmaking software can also help.
  Route Maps
  For travel adventures along roads, rivers, etc. – particularly
  Guard Duty (p. 47) – an alternative to the area map discussed
  so far is the route map, similar to what’s used for buses and
  trains. This amounts to a line with a scale, expressing the order
  of important landmarks and the distances between them, with
  notes indicating what’s at each marker, where to roll for ran-
  dom encounters, and so on. It should still be anno-
  tated with features such as rivers forded and towns
  visited, and maybe even what’s a little off to the sides.
  This is an idealized visual representation of the trip;
  the actual path in the game world may be quite
  squiggly. The GM might annotate an area map with
  the “true” route later, but it’s certainly an option for
  the campaign map to be a spider-web of routes.
  Maps for Players
  The degree to which the players get to see the
  campaign map is up to the GM. He may want to save
  copies of the map as he adds progressively more
  information, because this makes it easy to control
  who’s aware of what details. Cartography software is
  ideal here, but gamers working by hand can use pho-
  tocopiers, printers, scanners, etc.
  Everybody should be allowed to consult the least-
  detailed version of the unannotated campaign map.
  That’s what the average person in the game world knows. The
  GM may include misleading details, especially far from civiliza-
  tion – nothing says that common knowledge has to be right!
  Adventurers who buy suitable maps (Sages, p. 14) or make
  excellent Research rolls (Travel Arrangements, pp. 20-21) deserve
  access to somewhat truer versions. However, nobody gets to
  start with a map that shows Terra Incognita (p. 20) or anything
  intended as a complete surprise. Delvers who desire such details
  should go out, have adventures, and annotate their maps. If the
  explorers engage in Mapping (p. 27) and come up with a map
  that gives a net bonus to Navigation, the GM may wish to reward
  them with a more-detailed campaign map, perhaps annotated
  with anything relevant to the mapping mission.
  All this assumes the GM wants to bother with differing map
  versions. That is a lot of extra campaign prep, which might feel
  like time better used for playing. The GM may prefer to show
  everybody a detailed campaign map, ad lib everything, and
  have the sites of adventures surprise him and the players alike
  – exactly like random rolls on tables.
  OUTDOOR ADVENTURES
  53
  Chapter 2 is full of rules for dealing with wilderness chal-
  lenges, and for the most part, these describe the consequences
  in sufficient detail to help the GM decide when and how to tor-
  ture the heroes. It can’t hurt to think more about this, though.
  Well, it can’t hurt the GM . . . the adventurers might end up
  soaked, fried by lightning, and snared by the swift tongues of
  dire numbats.
  MOTHER NATURE
  There’s an old saying among travelers: “Nature is the
  mother of dogs.” The dwarven version uses less-polite words,
  one of which isn’t “dam.” Wilderness can challenge the most
  seasoned outdoorsman simply by being there.
  When the heroes are on a mission to confront outdoorsy foes
  who lurk in shrubberies, the GM is advised to dial back Nature’s
  cruelty to avoid upstaging the action. However, on long treks to
  reach killing-and-looting territory, or when travel is the adven-
  ture – and particularly when exploration is the adventure – it’s
  time to emphasize the danger innate in wild places.
  Rules to use routinely are Terrain Types (p. 22), Harsh
  Climates (p. 30), and Nasty Weather (pp. 30-31), which can make
  survival challenging even if there isn’t a single outright disaster
  or monster attack on the entire trip. This is especially true when
  the GM enforces Starvation (p. 43) after the heroes end up in the
  wilds for longer than planned – or Water Supplies (p. 43) if they
  stray into a desert. Except in a wilderness campaign, these aren’t
  the dangers that most delvers signed up to confront, so it’s wise
  not to be too harsh. Still, outdoorsmen such as barbarians and
  druids deserve a chance to show off, and clerics and wizards
  who paid for spells like Coolness, Warmth, Create Water, and
  Create Food should get to cast them occasionally. In a wilder-
  ness campaign where most everyone is good at this stuff, it’s
  equally important not to go too easy on the PCs.
  WILDERNESS WOES
  Nature’s Strength
  “Nature’s strength” affects druidic spells and abilities as
  explained on p. 19 of Adventurers. On wilderness adventures, the
  modifier to such capabilities should be 0 unless the druid enters
  some area forbidden to mortals by the gods or spirits of a natural
  domain, or the story specifically concerns the wanton abuse of
  Nature. Being able to work at full strength almost everywhere out-
  doors compensates druids for all those dungeon and town adven-
  tures at -3. Given that clerics and wizards rarely encounter zones
  of depressed sanctity and mana, the GM might even decide that
  additional compensation is due and have potent wild places –
  ancient henges, forests never before seen by man, etc. – grant from
  +1 to +5. A similar bonus may apply when Nature is being
  exploited and the druid is working to remedy this from outside the
  despoiled area.
  
  The rules for harsher environments – Mountaineering
  (p. 29), Water Hazards (p. 29), Unnatural Threats (p. 31), and
  Obstacles (pp. 31-32) – also fall into this category, but should
  arise more sparingly. It’s one thing to say that travel goes
  slowly, a couple of skills take penalties, and everyone ends up
  short a few FP. It’s another to drop the party off a cliff, drown
  them, or set penalties so high that horrible critical failures are
  assured. Consider giving the adventurers cause to suspect and
  plan for such perils, anyway.
  Unfriendly magic-using conditions are a further possibility.
  Nature’s Strength (p. 53) is the big one outdoors, but mana and
  sanctity can fluctuate as well. These headaches, too, should be
  occasional rather than business as usual.
  The GM can take either of two approaches when assessing
  such difficulties. One is to program them in advance, which
  suits climate, mountains, rivers, canyons, and so on – and
  probably magic-using conditions. Such things tend to be asso-
  ciated predictably with locations on a map. In fantasy, even
  weather might be this predictable; e.g., some places always
  have -2 for rain and wind, because that’s how they are.
  The other tack is to roll randomly, which is standard for
  weather and for the penalties that many of the previous con-
  cerns inflict. As well, it suits gonzo, old-school fantasy to roll at
  fixed intervals (hourly, daily, weekly, etc.) to learn whether the
  party encounters a barrier (e.g., mountain, river, or abyss) or
  wanders into a no-mana zone – and sometimes even to gener-
  ate terrain type randomly! This entails preparing tables for ran-
  dom terrain, obstacles, supernatural conditions, and the like in
  advance, which is extra work similar to designing random
  encounter tables for wandering monsters. No matter how
  much is left to the dice, though, Boundaries (pp. 51-52) of nat-
  ural origins should be fixed.
  The most important thing is to be evenhanded. It’s fair to
  bring up natural challenges on some adventures but to declare
  you’re using the simpler Dungeons rules (or outright ignoring
  them) on others because the journey is “routine.” Always be
  consistent during an adventure, though – and if using random
  tables, roll, don’t cheat. And whether the world is programmed
  or random, fade in penalties as the party travels and give
  advance warning where logical (e.g., mention that the travelers
  see mountain ranges and hear the ocean’s roar), so that the sit-
  uation doesn’t reek of “Suddenly, the GM decides to mess with
  you.” Save surprises for disasters.
  BOLTS FROM THE BLUE
  Terrain, climate, and oceans often span thousands of miles
  – and weather and natural obstacles can task the heroes for
  days, weeks, even months – but Mother Nature also has more
  abrupt dangers in Her arsenal. The most important of these
  appear under Disasters (pp. 32-35). Such catastrophes are to
  the wilderness as traps, tricks, gunk, and Evil Runes are to
  dungeons. Like those indoor threats, outdoor woes can be ran-
  dom or set pieces, but a mix is best.
  When the adventurers are exploring a small hedge maze
  (grove, lair, etc.), or come to a chokepoint such as a mountain
  pass or a ford, it’s best to map out the area – at least in general
  terms – much like a dungeon, and then to stock it with perils.
  For disasters that have variable damage dice, penalties, and so
  on, the GM may note exactly how bad each potential calamity
  is. Heroes who proceed with due caution can avoid trouble,
  much as dungeon explorers can circumvent traps.
  When the heroes are on the road, the GM might roll for dis-
  asters just as for wandering monsters, checking daily to see
  whether anything bad happens – and if it does, rolling on a
  table for what befalls the group (and, if necessary, who bears
  the brunt of it). High-risk areas might have more frequent
  checks, greater odds of calamity, or scarier outcomes on the
  table (e.g., a rockslide instead of a few
  falling rocks). Travelers still receive the
  usual rolls to spot these threats, but dan-
  gers can menace such broad areas that
  avoiding trouble costs them travel time.
  As with the rest of the environment
  (Mother Nature, pp. 53-54), consistency
  is imperative. Disasters should occur
  where they make sense – no falling trees
  or stinging plants in the barren arctic,
  and no thin ice or stampedes in the hot,
  tangled jungle, except in fantasy terrain
  where the heroes have cause to suspect
  Unnatural Threats (p. 31). When a peril
  is keyed to an action or a point on a
  map, avoiding the risky behavior or
  place should avoid the hazard, too.
  When it’s random, roll dice; it isn’t fair
  to “liven things up” by arbitrarily zap-
  ping the unholy warrior with lightning
  (well, unless he insults the Thunder
  God). In all cases, ensure that the delvers
  get their rolls to spot trouble and the
  benefits of sensible countermeasures.
  There are exceptions to these guide-
  lines. Disease (Fresh Air Is Good for You,
  p. 34) is insidious, and needn’t offer 
  a warning or have countermeasures. 
  OUTDOOR ADVENTURES
  54
  Optional Rule: 
  Risk Assessment
  Adventurers must know of a problem to judge its severity. For hidden dan-
  gers such as quicksand or traps, use the associated detection rules – but don’t
  waste time rolling for the self-evident (surrounding terrain, a cliff, a tornado,
  etc.). Once the heroes are aware of the challenge, the GM decides what to tell
  the players about skill modifiers (e.g., -3 to Climbing to negotiate a cliff) and
  any damage or penalties inflicted (e.g., -2 for pain from stinging plants). Such
  details are obvious by definition for anything intended to send a message, par-
  ticularly Boundaries (pp. 51-52), and the GM may opt to spell out lesser threats
  to reduce dice-rolling.
  When it’s plot-critical for the delvers to have doubts, though, the GM should
  make a single, secret Per-based roll against the group’s highest suitable skill –
  one that could detect or be penalized by the peril – with a bonus equal to penalty
  size or number of damage dice. At +10 or better, treat the roll as an automatic
  success; the risk is common knowledge. Success reveals specifics, failure yields
  “You can’t say,” and critical failure means a lie.
  Example: A mountain that’s -3 to climb allows a Per-based Climbing roll at
  +3 to know the penalty. Assessing that the ensuing fall does 6d¥2 damage
  would be a separate roll, but as it’s a death plunge that gives +12, it would be
  evident to the least-skilled dullard.
  
  It’s also a hybrid of fixed and random: Because it can afflict
  everyone – possibly for a long time – the GM should put it in
  an area as a programmed threat, not have it turn up on a table
  of random unpleasantness. However, who’s affected is a func-
  tion of resistance rolls, so it will seem random. Be sure to spec-
  ify the exact stats of any illnesses included in an adventure.
  Getting Lost (p. 26) is a real disaster but usually not some-
  thing the environment does to the heroes – it’s something they
  do to themselves. It’s only “random” in that it results from bad
  dice rolls; the GM won’t inflict it randomly. Well, not normally
  . . . but twisted and confusing fantasy regions can mean that
  rolls to avoid becoming lost are penalized, more frequent, or
  unusual (e.g., IQ + Magic Resistance rolls, or resistance rolls of
  Per vs. 16, instead of Navigation). Some might even feature
  random misfortunes tables that include “Lost!” Thus, while
  getting lost rarely makes sense as a programmed event in the
  sense that it simply happens, it’s possible for checks to avoid it
  to be a fixed feature of a location, much like disease.
  Despoilers (p. 43) also works something like this. The region
  wherein bad stuff might happen tends to be fixed (though possi-
  bly extremely large), but when and where disaster strikes is vari-
  able. Like mundane set-piece calamities, such danger should be
  avoidable by careful travelers; e.g., just as one takes precautions
  against quicksand by probing the ground, one avoids thunder-
  bolts by not annoying Mother Nature. When tragedy strikes,
  though, it often seems random to the sorts of disrespectful litter-
  bugs who trigger it. The GM could even tie an area’s random
  misfortunes to Affronts, with higher tallies increasing the fre-
  quency or odds of checks, or the severity of consequences. And
  as with disease, it’s important to define the possible outcomes
  ahead of time.
  FIGHTIN’ ROUND
  THE WORLD
  One thing that makes the outdoors great is that it’s chock-
  full of good fights to have! Perilous Encounters (Dungeons,
  pp. 20-28) covers this topic in great detail, but wilderness
  adventures merit some additional pointers.
  Outdoor Battles
  Wilderness enemies strive to use Nasty Tricks (pp. 35-36),
  Traps (pp. 36-37), and Ambushes (pp. 37-38) as their intelligence
  and natural adaptations allow. Canny heroes will doubtless
  want to do so as well. Tricky Environments (pp. 38-39) and Poor
  Visibility (p. 39) are common outdoors, too. And Travel Fatigue
  (p. 24) is likely when combat breaks out on the road. These
  things depend heavily on terrain (e.g., it’s hard to topple trees 
  if there are none, while visibility is more limited in jungle than
  in desert) and can be sufficiently major game-changers that a
  clear understanding of the environment is as important as the
  combatants’ stats.
  The GM must think about all this in advance. As with other
  wilderness woes, fairness dictates giving the players a little
  warning; e.g., don’t fail to mention high ground from which ene-
  mies could roll rocks, and grant the adventurers a bonus to
  detect the obvious hiding place of plains bandits lurking in the
  only bushes for miles around. When using tactical combat to
  game out fights, be ready with maps that show vegetation, boul-
  ders, slopes, and similar outdoor features – particularly nasty
  complications such as chasms – that might affect the action.
  Wandering-monster encounters can use recycled “generic” maps
  while set-piece battles get fancier ones, but no outdoor skirmish
  should be fought on a bleak, featureless plain. Even plains have
  stones, holes, occasional trees, etc. that offer cover for concen-
  trating spellcasters and reloading archers, and that challenge
  melee fighters who are overfond of stepping or retreating.
  Wilderness battles have one extra consideration, too: the
  possibility of vast scale. In general, if the heroes are ambushed
  or stumble upon wandering monsters, the encounter range
  should be short; see Ambushes (pp. 37-38), or simply go with
  15 yards. However, it’s sometimes possible to see trouble com-
  ing from very far away outdoors, which requires the GM to
  abstract the action by keeping track of distance and who has
  cover (Taking Cover, p. 40). Find the distance to the nearest
  cover randomly (e.g., 2d-1 yards); this may end up being long
  enough to require a few turns of movement, or short enough
  for fighters to dive behind it defensively. In tactical combat,
  once enough combatants draw sufficiently close that the action
  can fit on the available map, have the two sides enter from
  opposite edges and proceed from there.
  Large scales allow Mounted Combat (pp. 41-42) and Aerial
  Combat (p. 41), too. The GM should prepare for these in
  advance. The same goes for craziness such as siege engines
  and fortifications – if the enemy is dug in far away, the
  delvers might have to charge for many turns to get close
  enough to cast spells or attack, making Dodge rolls all the
  while. The GM must be ready to deal with Stunts (pp. 28-29)
  and similar rules if the heroes have to clamber over barri-
  cades and climb up siege towers.
  OUTDOOR ADVENTURES
  55
  One does not simply walk into Mordor. Its black gates are
  guarded by more than just orcs. There is evil there that does not
  sleep. The great eye is ever watchful. It is a barren wasteland, riddled
  with fire, ash, and dust. The very air you breathe is a poisonous
  fume. Not with ten thousand men could you do this. It is folly.
  – The Fellowship of the Ring (Jackson, 2001)
  
  Outdoors-Themed Foes
  Wilderness settings offer interesting opponents as well as
  challenging battlefields. Classic outdoor foes include:
  • Animals. Regular and giant versions usually match terrain
  – alligators in swamps, tigers in jungles, and so on. Dire ones
  often don’t (consider the frost snake on p. 24 of Dungeons),
  and can have unusual numbers of heads and limbs, unex-
  pected venom, breath weapons, and so on. Hybrids (like half-
  lion, half-eagle gryphons) are also likely. Any “natural” animal
  that bites, claws, constricts, or envenoms can be a monster, or
  part of one.
  • Elementals. Earth in mountains and deserts, air in high
  places, water near any large body of water, and fire around vol-
  canoes and forest fires.
  • Faerie creatures. From territorial fauns, leprechauns,
  nymphs, and pixies, through predictably nasty trolls, to exotic
  “animals” such as faerie dragons and flutterbys (pretty, but
  shoot indiscriminately into crowds).
  • People! Areas near civilization are rotten with bandits,
  brigands, highwaymen, and pirates. Faraway parts are full of
  “savages” and “natives” who object to greedy visitors. Almost
  everywhere, barbarians, druids, scouts, and shamans are no
  more inclined to be Good (or even Nice) than anybody else.
  Not all people are human, either – gargoyles, lizard men, and
  wildmen are as territorial as mankind. Elves are all
  that and self-righteous.
  • Plants. Particularly vines that strangle, trees
  that walk, and things that shoot thorns, discharge
  mind-control pollen, or drop exploding fruit. If it has
  IQ 1+, don’t mess with it. If it has Move 1+, it might
  mess with you!
  Not all suitable threats are strongly wilderness-
  themed, however. Dragons, giants, and other huge
  monsters routinely dwell outdoors because the sub-
  set of “indoors” where they can fit is rather small –
  though by dint of being so large, such beings are
  thankfully rare. Flying and swimming creatures of
  all varieties are common for similar reasons: there
  are more places to fly and swim in Nature than in
  subterranean labyrinths.
  Wandering Monsters
  “Wandering” takes on a new meaning outdoors,
  which features neither walls to keep out recent
  arrivals (who can stroll into the area, drop in by air,
  hatch from the ground, grow on trees, etc.) nor a dungeon to
  clear. Wilderness adventures force the GM to think about
  wandering monsters. Using the parameters outlined on p. 20
  of Dungeons:
  • Frequency. In most wilderness, check for random encoun-
  ters once per day of travel and once per night of camping (or
  travel, if moving by night). However, the adventures discussed
  in Hedge Maze, Size L (pp. 48-49) are effectively dungeon
  crawls, for which hourly rolls are more fitting. Roll once per
  hour anywhere if the heroes pause to exploit the environment;
  e.g., build an igloo (p. 25), attempt Field Engineering (p. 33), rig
  Nasty Tricks (pp. 35-36) or Traps (pp. 36-37), or take advantage
  of Mother Nature’s Bounty (pp. 42-45). Make a bonus roll each
  time the party tries Signaling (p. 28)!
  • Odds. Go with 6 or less on 3d on patrolled roads near civi-
  lization, 9 or less almost anywhere else outdoors. The wilderness
  is crawling with monsters, but it’s also huge – only use higher
  odds in hedge mazes teeming with enemies. While the GM who
  feels like being “realistic” might want to adjust the chance down-
  ward in harsh terrain that can’t support life, or upward for lush
  areas, that isn’t recommended; fantasy worlds are full of weird
  ecosystems, like arctic snakes that hunt giant arctic rats that live
  off ice-lichens. Likewise, terrible weather rarely dissuades mon-
  sters, and in the territory of powerful elementals or lightning-
  bolt-tossing giants, the weather penalty might justify an
  equal-sized bonus to checks. Finally, during any day when the
  party sends people or signals skyward, all rolls are at +3.
  • Tables. Random encounter tables are essential to outdoor
  adventures! Each area can have its own table of local denizens
  (Outdoors-Themed Foes, above). The old-school GM might put
  such encounters on the same table as random calamities (Bolts
  from the Blue, pp. 54-55) and even random terrain (Mother
  Nature, pp. 53-54), but then it’s best to roll strictly at regular
  intervals, make no extra rolls for drawing attention, and omit
  the +3 for aerial advertising.
  Affronts against Nature can affect any of the above, causing
  extra checks, increasing the odds of an encounter, or bringing
  more unpleasant enemies; see Despoilers (p. 43).
  Set Encounters
  Outdoor set pieces include preplanned run-ins with ban-
  dits and other attackers during a Guard Duty (p. 47) mission,
  the showdown with the party’s quarry (possibly after dealing
  with that adversary’s allies or hirelings) on a Bounty Hunting
  (pp. 47-48) adventure, and fixed encounters sited on the map
  of a hedge maze. The GM can also throw in quasi-random
  encounters with foes such as rival explorers, people tracking
  the heroes, and old enemies – there will be blood, but it can
  be fun to leave the where and when of it to chance. Thus, the
  GM might create planned encounters and assign them daily
  odds or include them on the random encounter table, with
  each passing day or week without a confrontation increasing
  the likelihood of one occurring.
  OUTDOOR ADVENTURES
  56
  
  Set encounters have an additional dimension outdoors: the
  potential for a huge enemy force. In the wilderness, a whole vil-
  lage of pygmies or an entire army on the move might be a sin-
  gle “encounter.” Sufficiently powerful delvers can prevail in
  such combats! The GM is advised to abstract the fight in terms
  of enemy attacks per adventurer per turn and a running tally
  of dead bodies. When using a tactical map, limited space and
  figures often make it necessary to recycle the counters or
  miniatures representing dead bad guys to the rear of the
  opposing formation.
  WEIRDNESS
  Finally, nothing says that wilderness can’t be home to truly
  freaky stuff, and not just those mushrooms that druids and
  shamans eat. Adventurers eventually grow accustomed to the
  challenges of Unnatural Threats (p. 31) and even the supernat-
  ural complications of Despoilers (p. 43), Boundaries (pp. 51-
  52), and Nature’s Strength (p. 53) – primarily because the
  players can quantify and work around these things. There
  ought to be some places and events that are too rare to typify.
  Dungeon standbys such as curses, illusions, places where time
  flows oddly, portals, regions of anomalous gravity, zones of
  unusual mana, etc. can work, but the sheer scale of the great
  outdoors supports additional weirdness. A few examples:
  Inconstant Terrain: People take islands, mountains, rivers,
  etc. for granted. However, fantasy is full of forests that spring
  up overnight, archipelagos that emerge from and return to the
  ocean’s depths, shifting peaks, and so on. Such weirdness can
  inflict serious Navigation penalties, demand unex-
  pected Survival specialties, complicate exploration
  (“Who brought the mountaineering gear?”), lure
  adventurers on side-quests, and bring encounters and
  perils that nobody planned for. It could also menace
  nearby regions by threatening to overgrow them, dis-
  place them, or infest them with invasive monsters – all
  excellent excuses for heroic quests!
  Strangely Connected Space: Most delvers assume
  that the world maps out as a flat surface on which they
  can plot nice courses, and tend to notice portals and
  space warps over short distances. It’s much harder to
  realize that, say, those plains they set out across two
  weeks ago just wrapped back to where they started!
  Deducing that two points are connected when they
  shouldn’t be calls for a Per roll – at a penalty if the shift
  is subtle, +3 for Absolute Direction, and with +5 for
  Eidetic Memory or +10 with Photographic Memory if
  the travelers pass the same place twice as a result.
  Distorted Distance: Apparent and actual distances
  may be seriously out of whack. For instance, landmark-
  free wastes might insert 1,000 miles into a 10-mile gap,
  and cities or entire mountain ranges could be “hidden”
  within because everybody who looks assumes they’re
  seeing the other side of the region, not the first 1%! Per-
  based rolls against Hiking, Navigation, and so on –
  again, at a penalty for subtlety – will reveal that some-
  thing isn’t right, and if nobody succeeds before traveling
  the expected distance, they’ll clue in after they go that
  far and are still trudging along.
  Supernatural Pathways: Some places might be
  accessible only by following a special route to the letter.
  This isn’t like a treasure hunt, where luck or aggressive search-
  ing will do. Maybe walking the path is part of a spell, or per-
  haps there are strange, subtle portals along the way. The
  destination might not be anywhere in the real world, even if
  one can look out from it and see that world (supernatural
  mountaintops are particularly prone to this). Naturally, there’s
  something weird and dangerous at the end.
  These things can lead adventurers to strange places that
  don’t appear on any map, or take them far away without warn-
  ing. Since it’s easy to overuse such devices – and not a lot of fun
  for jungle-ready travelers to find themselves stranded in arctic
  terrain 1,000 miles from home – it’s important to go light on
  this. That is, unless someone is getting 15 points for Weirdness
  Magnet, or the heroes were warned that something Isn’t Right.
  In those situations, all bets are off! To make matters a little
  more challenging for explorers who are forewarned, add a time
  component so that the weirdness is only evident if they set out
  or arrive on a particular day, or travel at a specific speed.
  Not all weirdness needs to be on such a grand scale. Plenty
  of strange stuff is simply too big to fit into a dungeon and too
  crazy to be believable in town. For instance, ghost ships, sin-
  ister traveling circuses that vanish at daybreak, and sudden
  space-warping fogs might whisk the heroes far away. Almost
  anything to do with Elder Things rates as weird, too – per-
  haps in ways as unsubtle as inflicting Fright Checks on peo-
  ple who visit or gaze upon a landmark. The GM should strive
  to build an atmosphere of apprehension around places with
  bizarre rock formations, creepy echoes, or oddly colored
  skies. Or squid.
  OUTDOOR ADVENTURES
  57
  Outdoors, Indoors
  Wilderness Adventures assumes that the delvers are under
  the open sky, but a lot of its rules and advice could be of value in
  the dungeon. Some ideas:
  Old Dangers, New Surrounds: The GM might simply drag
  wilderness threats underground. Obstacles (pp. 31-32) such as
  abysses and rivers are as likely there as above ground. Near these,
  combat often involves Tricky Environments (pp. 38-39). A dungeon
  can never have enough Traps (pp. 36-37) – but Disasters (pp. 32-
  35) may come as a bigger surprise to groups who expect concealed
  crossbows and Evil Runes, but not quicksand or sinkholes.
  Mega-Dungeons: A dungeon could be so big that clearing or
  exploring it may take the heroes weeks, months, or a lifetime. In
  that case, the GM may prefer to use the more-detailed rules in
  Travel (pp. 20-24) and Camping (pp. 24-25) – and the delvers
  might opt to bring mounts and vehicles (Transportation, pp. 18-
  19). I Wasn’t Trained for This (p. 31) is likely to apply, pushing the
  adventurers to learn Survival (Subterranean), uses for which
  include exploiting Mother Nature’s Bounty (pp. 42-45) in the form
  of fungi, sightless fish, and stalactites.
  Underworlds: Plenty of real-world cultures believed in subter-
  ranean realms as vast as the lands above – and countless fantasy
  tales borrow this notion. Every rule in this supplement could
  apply in such a place, which might be home to the full range of
  terrain types and weather found topside. Of course, this is liable
  to coexist with stranger stuff that requires special Survival skills!
  
  Abyss, 29, 32.
  Accurizers, 16.
  Acid swamps, 31.
  Adventures, accidental, 48; bushwhacked,
  48; campaign advice, 47, 50; challenge
  decisions, 53-55; hedge maze, 48-49;
  maps for, 52-53; overview, 46; setting
  creation, 50-53; types, 46-50; weirdness,
  57; wilderness in dungeons, 57; see also
  Exploration, Travel.
  Aerial, animals, 13, 56; combat, 41; divine
  servitors, 15; elementals, 14;
  information gathering, 26, 27;
  nonhuman characters, 9; scouting and
  mapping, 26, 27; sneaking and, 26;
  transport, 21; visibility, 26, 39.
  Affronts, 43, 55, 56; see also Despoiling
  Nature.
  Allies advantage, 10; animals, 12-14;
  familiars, 13-14; henchmen, 10-12;
  spirits, 14-15.
  Ambushes, 37-38; detecting, 26.
  Animals, as foes, 56; as loot, 44; combat,
  41-42; divine, 15; embodied spirit, 14;
  familiars, 13-14; food for, 44; in
  adventures, 12; killing, 43; mundane
  Allies, 13; sneaking and, 26; stampede,
  33, 36; swarms, 34, 36; vehicles and,
  19, 21; wandering monsters, 56; winged,
  21; see also Mounts.
  Antidotes, 44.
  Archers, as outdoorsmen, 10.
  Arctic terrain, 22; useful gear, 16, 18, 19;
  see also Camping, Cold, Flows, Ice,
  Terrain, Travel, Weather.
  Area Knowledge skill, 20.
  Arrows, fire, 17; makeshift, 45.
  Artificers, as outdoorsmen, 4.
  Assassins, as outdoorsmen, 4.
  Avalanches, see Flows. 
  Backstabbing, 40.
  Bad footing, 38; useful gear, 16, 18.
  Bagpipes, 17.
  Balancing stunts, 29.
  Barbarians, as outdoorsmen, 4-5.
  Bards, as outdoorsmen, 5.
  Beach, 22; useful gear, 18; see also Camping,
  Heat, Terrain, Travel, Weather.
  Beasts, see Animals, Mounts.
  Blinds, elven, 17.
  Boats, 19, 22; hazards, 29, 32, 33;
  shipwrecked, 48; see also Travel.
  Bow traps, 36.
  Branches, spiked, 37; see also Trees.
  Bugs, 34, 36, 40; useful gear, 16, 17.
  Campaigns, sandbox, 50; tips, 47; see also
  Adventures.
  Camping, 24-25; gear, 16-18; vehicles and,
  25; watches, 25.
  Celestial steeds, 15.
  Characters, as outdoorsmen, 4-10; lenses,
  5; new template, 11-12; nonhuman, 9;
  sickness, 23; wilderness training, 5.
  Clerics, as outdoorsmen, 5-6; despoiling
  and, 43.
  Cliffs, movement on, 29, 32; combat on,
  39; see also Mountains.
  Climates, harsh, 30.
  Climbing skill, challenges, 29, 32; useful
  gear, 17, 18.
  Clothes, 16.
  Clotheslines, elven, 37.
  Cold, effects of, 30, 34; useful gear, 16;
  shelter, 25; see also Artic, Ice.
  Combat, 38-42; adventure tips, 55-57;
  aerial, 41; cover, 40; despoiling by, 43;
  encounter suggestions, 56-57;
  environment, 38-39, 55; foe
  suggestions, 56; high ground, 39;
  mounted, 41-42; outdoor skills and,
  40-41; traps and, 40-41; tree tricks,
  39-40; visibility during, 39.
  Crossing gaps, 29.
  Cultists, as outdoorsmen, 10.
  Danger Sense advantage, 32, 38.
  Dangers, deliberate, 35-38; in combat,
  40-41; intensified, 31; natural, 30-35,
  53-55; risk assessment, 54.
  Deadfalls, 36-37.
  Demonologists, as outdoorsmen, 6;
  despoiling and, 43.
  Desert, 22, 43; useful gear, 16, 18; see also
  Camping, Heat, Terrain, Travel, Weather.
  Despoiling nature, 14, 15; adventures and,
  49, 55, 56; effects of, 43; nature’s
  strength and, 53.
  Detours, 35.
  Disasters, see Dangers.
  Disease, 34, 44, 54-55.
  Divine servitors, 15.
  Doom cleats, 18.
  Druids, animal companions, 12, 13; as
  outdoorsmen, 6; cultists and, 10;
  despoilers and, 43; healing herbs and,
  44-45; initiate, 10; nature’s strength and,
  53; spirit Allies, 14.
  Elementalists, as outdoorsmen, 6-7;
  despoiling and, 43.
  Elementals, 14-15.
  Elves, 9; tree tricks, 39-40, 37.
  Environment, see Nature, Weather.
  Equipment, 15-19; field engineering, 17,
  33; foraging, 33, 42-44; loot, 44;
  naturally occurring, 44-45; selecting, 15;
  travel and, 18, 23-24; see also Mounts,
  Vehicles.
  Exploration, 25-29; adventures, 49-50;
  unknown regions, 20.
  Face paint, 17.
  Falling, rocks, 32, 36; trees, 32, 35.
  Familiars, 13-14.
  Fatigue, camping, 24; travel, 23, 24; useful
  gear, 17.
  Field engineering, 33, 43; useful gear, 17.
  Fire, as challenge, 32; despoiling with, 43;
  elementals, 15; gear, 16, 17; signaling,
  28; trap, 35.
  Flows (lava/mud/snow/rock), 32-33, 
  35-36; gear for starting, 17.
  Flying, see Aerial.
  Flying carpets, 21.
  Fogs, magical, 26.
  Food, foraging, 22, 42-43; useful gear, 16,
  17.
  Footwear, 16, 18.
  Foraging, 42-44; despoiling and, 43; loot,
  44-45; useful gear, 16, 17.
  Garments, 16.
  Gear, see Equipment, Mounts, Vehicles.
  Gods, 6, 43, 53; divine elements, 15; see
  also Clerics, Druids, Holy Warriors.
  GURPS Basic Set, 3; Dungeon Fantasy,
  3, 12, 33, 34, 41, 50; Dungeon
  Fantasy 1: Adventurers, 3-10, 15, 16,
  18, 45, 53; Dungeon Fantasy 2:
  Dungeons, 3, 5, 20, 22, 24, 25, 27-29,
  31-34, 36, 38-44, 46-48, 52, 54-56;
  Dungeon Fantasy 3: The Next Level,
  5, 9, 47; Dungeon Fantasy 4: Sages,
  4, 8, 16, 23, 27, 53; Dungeon Fantasy
  5: Allies, 7, 10, 13, 15; Dungeon
  Fantasy 7: Clerics, 6; Dungeon
  Fantasy 8: Treasure Tables, 17, 28,
  44; Dungeon Fantasy 9: Summoners,
  6, 8-10, 14; Dungeon Fantasy 10:
  Taverns, 7, 50; Dungeon Fantasy 11:
  Power-Ups, 5, 7; Dungeon Fantasy
  12: Ninja, 8; Dungeon Fantasy 13:
  Loadouts, 16, 24; Dungeon Fantasy
  14: Psi, 7, 8; Dungeon Fantasy 15:
  Henchmen, 7, 10; Dungeon Fantasy
  Adventure 1: Mirror of the Fire
  Demon, 50; Dungeon Fantasy
  Monsters 1, 50; High-Tech, 3; 
  Low-Tech, 3; Low-Tech Companion
  3: Daily Life and Economics, 3;
  Power-Ups 3: Talents, 5.
  Healing, disease, 34; herbs, 44.
  Heat, effects of, 24, 30; useful gear, 17.
  Henchmen, 10-12.
  Herbs, healing, 44.
  Hoisting stunts, 29.
  Holy folk, 6; see also Clerics, Druids, Holy
  Warriors.
  Holy hounds, 15.
  Holy warriors, Allies of, 15; as
  outdoorsmen, 6, 7.
  INDEX
  58
  INDEX
  
  Horses, see Animals, Mounts.
  Ice, boats, 21; skidding, 29; thin, 34, 40; see
  also Artic, Cold.
  Igloos, 25.
  Information gathering, 20, 26, 27; see also
  Maps.
  Initiates, as outdoorsmen, 10.
  Injury, see Healing, Dangers.
  Innkeepers, as outdoorsmen, 7.
  Insects, see Bugs.
  Island, 22; useful gear, 18; see also
  Camping, Heat, Terrain, Travel, Weather.
  Jungle, 22; see also Bugs, Camping, Heat,
  Terrain, Travel, Weather.
  Kites, 16.
  Knights, as outdoorsmen, 7.
  Knives, gnomish army, 17.
  Laborers, as outdoorsmen, 10.
  Lantern balloons, 17.
  Lava flows, see Flows.
  Lenses, appropriate, 5; special, 5.
  Lightning strikes, 33.
  Loot, naturally occurring, 44; see also
  Equipment.
  Machetes, 17, 18.
  Magic, camping and, 24, 25; casting under
  cover, 40; causing flows, 32, 35;
  character spell suggestions, 5-10;
  climate and, 30; despoiling, 43;
  familiars, 13-14; fog, 26; garments, 16;
  henchmen, 10; hiding tracks, 28;
  sickness and, 23; signaling, 29;
  starvation and, 43; tiredness and, 23; to
  stay on course, 26; transportation, 21;
  weather and, 30-31.
  Manuals, 16.
  Maps, 16; adventures to create, 49-50;
  aerial characters and, 27; creating, 26,
  27; for players, 53; for the GM, 52-53;
  selling, 27; travel and, 23; useful gear,
  17, 18.
  Martial artists, as outdoorsmen, 7.
  Mentalists, as outdoorsmen, 7-8.
  Monsters, wandering, 29, 34, 56; see also
  Animals.
  Mountains, 22; climbing, 29, 32; combat
  on, 38, 39; see also Camping, Rocks.
  Mounts, 18-19, 21; gear, 19; see also
  Animals.
  Mudflows, see Flows.
  Native guide template, 11-12.
  Nature, dangers of, 30-35, 53-55;
  despoiling, 43; divine element, 15;
  foraging in, 42-45; priests of, 6; 
  strength, 53.
  Necromancers, as outdoorsmen, 8;
  despoiling and, 43.
  Ninja, as outdoorsmen, 8.
  Noise, causing flows, 32; for signaling, 28,
  43; useful gear, 17.
  Nonhumans, 9.
  Obstacles, see Dangers.
  Patron advantage, 14.
  Pets, see Animals.
  Pits, covered, 36; useful gear, 17.
  Plains, 22; see also Camping, Travel,
  Terrain, Travel, Weather.
  Plants, as cover, 39; as foes, 56; as loot,
  44-45; despoiling, 43; spiked branches,
  37; stinging, 33, 40; see also Trees.
  Poisons, 45.
  Potions, foraging for, 44; selling, 44-45.
  Priests, as outdoorsmen, 11; see also
  Druid, Cleric.
  Quicksand, 33, 40.
  Rain of frogs, 31.
  Regions, cursed, 26; information gathering,
  20, 26, 27; intensifying obstacles, 31;
  unknown, 20, 27; see also Maps, Travel.
  Riding gear, 19.
  Rocks, falling, 32, 36; flow, 32-33, 35; 
  see also Mountains.
  Rockslides, see Flows.
  Ropes, 17; using, 29.
  Sages, as outdoorsmen, 10; supplies, 16.
  Sandshoes, 18.
  Scholars, as outdoorsmen, 8; supplies, 16.
  Scouting, 25-27; useful gear, 17.
  Scouts, as outdoorsmen, 8-9.
  Settings, see Adventures, Dangers, Regions,
  Terrain, Travel.
  Shamans, as outdoorsmen, 9; despoiling
  and, 43; spirits and, 14.
  Shelters, 18, 24-25; see also Camping.
  Signaling, 28; useful gear, 16, 17.
  Sinkholes, 33, 40.
  Sites, camping, 24.
  Size Modifier (SM), camping and, 24-25;
  shelters and, 25; signaling and, 28;
  sneaking and, 25-26; vehicle occupancy
  and, 19.
  Skates, 18.
  Skidding stunts, 29.
  Skis, 18.
  Sledges, 18.
  Smoke, for signaling, 28.
  Snares, spring, 37.
  Sneaking, 25-26.
  Snow, see Artic, Cold, Flows, Ice, Terrain.
  Snowshoes, 18.
  Spells, see Magic.
  Spirits, 14-15; place, 11; see also Shamans.
  Stampedes, 33.
  Starvation, 43.
  Stones, see Mountains, Rocks.
  Stunts, 28-29.
  Sunburn, 30; see also Heat.
  Survival gear, 16-18; shelters, 18, 24-25;
  see also Equipment.
  Survival skill, new specialties, 31.
  Swampland, 22, 31; see also Bugs,
  Camping, Terrain, Travel, Weather.
  Swarms, 34, 36; see also Bugs.
  Swashbucklers, as outdoorsmen, 9.
  Swimming skill, challenges, 29, 32.
  Swinging stunts, 29.
  Tables, machete, 17; makeshift weapons, 45;
  mounts, 18; vehicles, 19; weather, 30.
  Tents, 18, 24.
  Terrain, adventure maps, 52; aerial
  scouting and, 27; camping and, 24-25;
  climate and, 30; combat and, 38-39;
  cover and, 39; disasters and, 32-35;
  exceptional, 22; foraging and, 22, 33,
  42-44; information gathering, 26;
  mixed, 22; obstacle suggestions, 31-32;
  travel fatigue and, 24; types, 22; vehicles
  and, 18; weather and, 30; see also
  Mountains, Regions, Travel.
  Thieves, as outdoorsmen, 9.
  Tool kits, 16.
  Tornadoes, 34.
  Tracking, 22, 27-28.
  Transportation, 18-19, 21-22; see also
  Boats, Travel.
  Traps, 36-37; detecting, 36.
  Travel, adventures, 46-48; arrangements,
  20-21; carrying equipment and, 18, 23-
  24; climate, 30; daily distance, 23; daily
  time, 23; despoiling by, 43; detours, 35;
  factors affecting, 15, 22-23; fatigue, 23,
  24; getting lost, 26, 48, 55; getting
  separated, 26; guides, 22; intensifying
  threats, 31; modes of, 18-19, 21-22;
  muscle-powered, 23; natural threats, 30;
  obstacle, 31-32; on beasts, 18-19, 21; on
  foot, 21; planning, 20-21; route maps,
  53; shipwrecked, 48; shortcuts, 22-23;
  sickness and, 23; speed of, 22, 23;
  terrain, 22, 26; to unknown regions, 20;
  transportation, 18-19, 21-22;
  transportation efficiency, 22; useful gear,
  16, 17; using maps, 16, 23, 27; weather
  conditions, 30-31; weirdness and, 57;
  see also Boats, Maps, Regions.
  Travois, 18.
  Treasure, naturally occurring, 44; see also
  Equipment.
  Treasure-hunters, as outdoorsmen, 11.
  Trees, combat and, 39-40; despoiling, 43;
  falling, 32, 35; spiked branches, 37; 
  see also Plants.
  Vehicles, 19, 21-22; as shelters, 25; see also
  Boats, Footwear, Mounts, Travel.
  Volcanoes, 32.
  Walking huts, 21.
  Water, despoiling and, 43; hazards, 29, 32;
  supplies, 16, 43; useful gear, 16; waves,
  33; see also Boats.
  Weapons, 16, 17; choosing, 15; makeshift,
  45.
  Weather, combat and, 39; disasters, 32-35;
  nasty, 30-31.
  Wilderness-Trained lens, 5.
  Wizards, as outdoorsmen, 10; despoiling
  and, 43; familiars, 13-14.
  Woodlands, 22; see also Camping, Heat,
  Terrain, Travel, Weather.
  Yurts, 18, 24.
  INDEX
  59
  
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