Exploration

Time

• 1 Round = ~1 minute
• 1 Turn = ~10 minutes
• 1 Watch = ~2 hours

Dungeon Exploration

Movement

Characters move at their dungeon movement rate per turn (see Encumbrance & Movement). While mapping, this assumes careful movement—checking the floor, ceiling, and walls as they go. The referee should not describe the dungeon faster than the players can map it. The dungeon may not be mapped in obvious conditions such as the dark, or while fleeing.

Wandering Monsters

Every 2 turns, the referee secretly rolls 1d6. On a 1, a wandering monster is encountered. Dangerous locales or activities may increase the frequency or likelihood.

Light

Doors

All dungeon doors are assumed to be closed and stuck unless noted. Doors return to the closed position after being opened. It is assumed that may monsters pass through freely (depending on the dungeon), but players must open them again each time.

• Stuck doors: Require a Feat of Strength to open. Items may assist, such as crowbars or axes for wooden doors, though they risk breakage.
• Locked doors: Require a key or a successful Thievery roll.
• Listening at a door: 1-in-6; Thievery for Thieves.
• Secret doors: 1-in-6 per turn of active searching.
• Spiking open a door: 2-in-6 chance the spike slips and the door closes.
• Spiking a door shut: Causes the door to count as stuck.

Dungeon Encounter Procedure

1. Determine Surprise

If surprise is possible, each side rolls 1d6 separately. A result of 1 or 2 means that side is surprised. Apply each character's Wisdom Surprise Modifier (see Attributes). Light, noise, or other circumstances may adjust the roll.

1a. The surprising side gains one free move segment — a single action only (move, attack, cast a spell, etc.) — unless both sides are surprised, in which case this step is skipped.

2. Determine Encounter Distance

• Normal: 2d4″ (2d4 × 10 ft, 20–40 ft)
• Either side surprised: 1d3″ (1d3 × 10 ft, 10–30 ft)

3. Determine Actions

3a. Monsters surprise the party:

• Intelligent monsters make a Reaction roll (see below) and act accordingly.
• Non-intelligent monsters move directly to melee.
• A party surprised within 30 ft may attempt to flee before combat begins.

3b. Party surprises the monsters:

• The party may take one free action: flee, move, cast a spell, attack, parley, etc.

3c. Both sides surprised:

• Proceed directly to Combat below. No free actions are granted.

4. Resolve the Encounter

Combat, evasion/pursuit, parley, or other resolution as the situation demands.

Reaction

When the intentions of an encountered creature are not obvious, the referee rolls 2d6 and applies the Charisma Reaction Modifier of the speaking PC:

Underworld Pursuit

When one side attempts to flee and the other pursues, use the following procedure.

1. Determine Surprise

If surprise is possible, each side rolls 1d6 separately. A result of 1 or 2 means that side is surprised. Light, noise, or other circumstances may adjust the roll.

1a. The surprising side gains one free move segment — a single action only — unless both sides are surprised.

2. Determine Distance

• Normal: 2d4″ (2d4 × 10 ft)
• Either side surprised: 1d3″ (1d3 × 10 ft)

3. Determine Actions

3a. Monsters catch the party by surprise:

• Intelligent monsters make a Reaction roll and act accordingly.
• Non-intelligent monsters move to melee.
• A party surprised within 30 ft may attempt to flee.

3b. Party catches monsters by surprise:

• The party may take one free action: flee, move, cast a spell, attack, etc.

3c. Both sides surprised:

• Proceed to Combat. No free actions granted.

4. Resolve the Pursuit

Resolve by combat, successful evasion, parley, or other means as the situation demands. Compare movement rates; the faster side gains ground each round. Dropped items (food, treasure, lit torches) may cause pursuers to halt.

Wilderness Exploration

Wilderness travel uses the Dolmenwood hex crawling system. Each hex is 6 miles across.

Daily Procedure

At the start of each day, roll Weather before anything else (see Weather).

1. Determine daily route. Players declare their intended course.
2. Check if lost at the day's start. Roll 1d6 and consult the Lost & Encounter Chances table below.
   • 2a. If lost: roll 1d6 for actual direction of travel — 1 = N, 2 = NE, 3 = SE, 4 = S, 5 = SW, 6 = NW.
3. Move along the intended route using the Hex Allowance below.
   • 3a. If lost: only one direction change is allowed for the entire day's travel.
4. Encounter check at day's end. Roll 1d6 and consult the table below.
   • 4a. No encounter: daily move ends. Restart at step 1 for the next day.
   • 4b. Encounter: roll a 2-in-6 surprise chance per side if surprise is possible, then proceed to step 5.
5. Determine distance. Normal encounters begin at 4d6″ (4d6 × 10 yd). If either side is surprised, distance is 1d3″ (1d3 × 10 yd). Melee or missile attacks are possible at 1″ (10 yd) or closer.
6. Encounter type.
   • 6a. Evasion: If the party tries to evade, roll evasion chance (see Evasion below) and proceed to Pursuit if the attempt fails.
   • 6b. Monster reaction: Non-intelligent monsters move to attack. Intelligent monsters analyze the situation and roll a Reaction if their intentions are unclear (see Reaction table).
7. Resolve encounter (combat, evasion/pursuit, parley, etc.).
8. Restart at step 1 for the next day's travel.

Travel Points

Each character or group has a daily allotment of Travel Points (TP) equal to their combat speed divided by 5 (see Encumbrance & Movement):

The party travels at the speed of its slowest member. Unused TP at day's end are lost.

Lost & Encounter Chances

Roll 1d6. Source: Underworld & Wilderness Adventures, p. 18.

Ships continuously afloat: encounter on a 1-in-6.

Terrain & Movement Costs

Entering a hex costs TP depending on its terrain type. Searching a hex for hidden features costs the same amount again (see Searching below).

Fog or blizzard conditions increase lost chance by 1. Darkness increases it by 2.

Searching

A party may spend TP to search a hex for hidden features — lairs, ruins, dungeon entrances, and the like. Searching costs the same TP as entering the hex (e.g., 3 TP to search a Moderate hex).

Roll 1d6 after spending the TP:

A hex may be searched multiple times; each attempt costs the full TP. The referee secretly notes whether a hex contains anything to find. A result of 1 always reveals a feature if one is present — not all hexes have hidden features.

Forced March

A party may push harder, gaining +50% TP for that day. Following a forced march, the party must rest a full day or become exhausted (−1 to all rolls, cumulative).

Getting Lost

At the start of each day, roll 1d6 and compare to the Lost column for the current terrain (see Lost & Encounter Chances above). On a result within the lost range, the party unknowingly travels in the wrong direction — roll 1d6 for the actual direction (1 = N, 2 = NE, 3 = SE, 4 = S, 5 = SW, 6 = NW). Only one direction change is allowed during a lost day's travel. The party may not realize they are lost until they fail to reach a landmark or the referee deems it apparent.

Wandering Monsters

Roll 1d6 at the end of each day and each night at camp. An encounter occurs on a result within the Encounter range for the current terrain (see Lost & Encounter Chances above).

When an encounter occurs, see the Daily Procedure above for distance, surprise, and resolution.

Wilderness Evasion

When the party attempts to evade an encounter, consult the table below. Source: Underworld & Wilderness Adventures, p. 20.

Adjustments:

• Surprising the enemy doubles evasion chances.
• No evasion chance if the party is surprised — unless in woods or magic is used.
• +25% if evading in woods.
• 10% if surprised in woods.
• +25% if the evaders move at twice the pursuers' speed.
• −25% if the pursuers move at twice the evaders' speed.

Wilderness Pursuit

Source: Underworld & Wilderness Adventures, p. 20.

1. Roll evasion chance. Pass: pursuit ends — go to step 4b. Fail: go to step 2.
2. The pursued party moves into a random hex (1d6: 1 = N, 2 = NE, 3 = SE, 4 = S, 5 = SW, 6 = NW).
3. Compare speeds.
   • 3a. Pursuer is slower: pursuit ends — go to step 4b (Evasion Pass).
   • 3b. Pursuer is faster: 3-in-6 chance to catch the party (1-in-4 in woods or swamp).
     • Caught: resolve encounter (combat, parley, etc.).
     • Not caught: pursued party moves into another random hex as in step 2.
4. Check whether pursuit continues.
   • 4a. Castle inhabitants pursuing: hostile 3-in-6, neutral 1-in-6.
   • 4b. Monster pursuing (Evasion Pass): party rolls evasion chance.
     • Fail: pursuit continues — restart at step 3b.
     • Pass: pursuit ends. Party must rest ½ day per hex moved during the pursuit.
5. Roll for wilderness encounters each ½ day spent resting.

Castle Encounters

Source: Underworld & Wilderness Adventures, p. 15.

Approach: If the party hails a castle, the castle force rides out to greet them unless the party appears quarrelsome or forceful.

Passing nearby: If the party passes within range without hailing, the castle force rides out on a roll of: same hex 3-in-6 · one hex away 2-in-6 · two hexes away 1-in-6.

Disposition: Castle occupants are hostile (1–3) or neutral (4–6) on 1d6, with two exceptions — a Patriarch is always friendly; an Evil High Priest is always hostile.

Tolls and demands by castle type:

Pursuit if party flees: 3-in-6 if hostile, 1-in-6 if neutral.

Resting & Exhaustion

• Characters must rest at least 1 full day per 6 days of travel, or become exhausted.
• Exhausted characters suffer −1 to all rolls, cumulative per additional day without rest.

Camping

A typical camp covers an 8-hour night, divided into four 2-hour watches. Characters sleeping fewer than 6 hours do not benefit from rest. Assign watches before sleeping:

1. Camp setup — clear ground, raise tents, prepare fire pit
2. Firewood — each gatherer collects 1d6 hours of fuel (reduced by wet/cold weather)
3. Watches — rotate characters; each watch at least one character is on guard
4. Wandering monster check — one roll per night
5. Sleep — characters who complete 6+ hours heal 1 hp and may memorize spells