Excursions

When players leave their Civ to explore the lands beyond, this is called an "Excursion".
While traveling, the party to succeed at a number of challenges depending on how far they travel and whether or not they are travelling away from a settlement or generally through the wilds. The return trip is should be vastly safer if they travel the same way they. Travelling through new lands towards the settlement will require challenges.
As a party moves through new territory, a challenge check will need to be made by the GM per the area moved through.

Excursion Ranges

* All distances from village edge

Civilization (0-2 Miles)

Inside a settlement, no challenges generally need to be made as they PCs travel from one side to the other. This area is considered “Civilized” territory. Civs are the best place for casual role-play as they are unlikely to suddenly engage in combat.
Attacks by MegaBiota or raids can be made at the GMs discrection, however, no randomized rolls are expected.

Outskirts (2-10 miles)

Most civilizations have enough combat ready adults that can act like guards that prevent danger from entering the settlement. However, once hunters, gatherers, traders, or adventurers leave civilized space it is generally assumed that they are on their own.
Even still, the presence of the civilization helps prevent serious danger from coming to close to the boundaries. 1 mile radius around the civilization is considered outskirts in most cases and the party must make a single Rank 1 challenge check per day they spend in this territory.

Near Excursions (10-25 miles)

Trips made within 5 miles of a civilization are considered “Near”. These are close enough to the settlement that most parties can return to relative safely within the same day and far enough away that usual materials and discoveries can be made. The party must make a single Rank 2 challenge check each day and night they spend in this territory.

Far Excursions (25-75 miles)

Excursions that take the party 15 miles from a civilization are considered “Far”. These trips are incredibly dangerous as help could be 2 or more days away and in a world dominated by fierce magical beasts, such a risk could spell death. However, it is the “Far” places where life bringing resources can be obtained, dangerous beasts culled, or clues to the First Age can be found. Parties on Far Excursions must make Rank 3 challenge checks each day and night they spend in this territory

Deadland Excursions (75+ miles)

Excursions further than 15 miles are into areas called “The Deadlands” so named because few that venture into the wilds so far from home return – alive or dead. It is unknown to many what dangers lurk in these areas or what fortunes.

Excursion Challenges

The lands beyond a Civ are dangerous with aggressive beasts, unknown plant life, and harsh terrain, just to name a few. However, nothing ventured, nothing gained! With great risk, comes great reward and all that.
Here are a few things that make excursions more than a walk in the park.

Terrain

The world of Aserere has bountiful biomes for all life to flourish as well as biomes where only the sturdiest of biota can sustain. However, traversing long distances can have a tribe enter terrain they are not familiar whether they come from a land of bounty or struggle.
Plains Relevant Map Biomes: Temperate Steppe, Dry Steppe, Tundra, Grass Savanna, Tree Savanna
Plains have no travel penalty and a flat harvest bonus of +3.
Forests

Relevant Map biomes: Taiga, Temperate, Sub-tropical Rainforest, Tropical Rainforest, Montane Forest, Dry Forest, Monsoon Forest, Wetland

Tree Density	Description	Travel Penalty	Harvest Bonus
Sparse	Trees in a sparse forest or stand are mostly 10ft apart or more. Allowing most large creatures easy passage.	-0	+1
Thick	Thickly forested areas have trees 5 ft apart and prevent travelling in a straight line. It may also be difficult to see past the canopy in many places.	-1	+2
Dense	Dense forests have large, heavily matured trees with a canopy that completely obstructs sightlines to they sky and plunge the floor into deep darkness at night. In some places, single file movement will be mandatory.	-2	+3

The forest floor may be host to low lying plant life which might make traveling difficult without the aid of a slicing weapon. This hazard is undergrowth and adds additional penalties to travel.

Undergrowth density	Description	Travel Penalty	Harvest Bonus
None	The floor of the forest is bare of any plants beyond grasses and low lying weeds.	-0	+0
Sparse	Some small bushes and brambles, usually near trees. There are frequent paths that allow for travel, if single queue	-1	+1
Dense	Thick roots, vines, bushes, brambles and smaller trees carpets the forest floor.	-2	+2

* If the forest is also a wetland swamp, add a -1 to the travel penalty.
Hills Relevant Biomes: Any

Hill Slope	Description	Travel Penalty	Harvest Bonus
Low		-1	+0
Rolling		-2	+0
Steep		-3	+0

Mountains Relevant Biomes: Montane Forest, Alpine Tundra

Mountain Slope	Description	Travel Penalty	Harvest Bonus
Low, Eroded		-2	+1
High		-3	+0
Steep		-4	+0

Challenges	Description	Travel Penalty	Harvest Bonus
Cliffs		-3	+0
Chasms		-3	+0
Scree		-2	+0
Boulders		-1	+0

Desert Relevant Biomes: Arid Desert, Semi-Arid Desert, Polar Desert

Desert Heat	Description	Travel Penalty	Harvest Bonus
Arid		-5	+0
Semi-Arid		-4	+0
Costal		-3	+1
Cold		-5	+0

Weather

Travel Penalty	Weather Condition
+0	Clear, Clouds, Drizzle, Light Wind
-1	Overcast, Fog, Light Rain, Light Snow
-2	Heavy Fog, Rain, Sleet, Snow, Strong Winds
-3	Thunderstorm, Windstorm, Hail,
-4	Blizzard, Tornado
-5	Hurricane, Sandstorm, Wildfire, Planar Storm, Duststorm

How to Calculate a Party's Travel Score

All characters travel at a base speed of 3 miles per hour. The characters with the lowest STA bonus determine the parties travel time. The DM calculates penalties from Terrain and hazards and subtracts that many miles for every 10 miles traveled.

STA Bonus	Travel Miles Before Rest	Recovery Hours per 10 miles
0	25	3
1	30	2
2	45	1
3	50	.9
4	65	.8
5	75	.7
6	80	.6
7	85	.5
8	90	.4
9	95	.3
10	100	.2