Defend the innocent, fight monsters, explore the unknown, uncover the secrets of the forest, revover ancient artifacts, learn the mysteries of magic - be a hero.
Quests are what heroes does, and Nordskogen is a place for such quests. A quest has a goal, though often you discover that the goal changes as you discover more about your quest.
Quests consists of Journeys and Challenges. At the start of a quest, the group must declare where they want to go and with what goal. These two details are important, and set up the quest. Quests are finished when the quest clock is filled. The quest clock represents both the journey and the challenges the heroes face. The clock might change if the quest changes.
Then, they choose their loadout. (LOAD-rules here).
Light: 3 load Medium: 5 Packed: 7 Max: 10
There's group load and individual load. Group load represents the full load of the group, with rations and travelling gear. If the group has animals, group load is first counted on animals.
Group load has to be divided among the members if the group, taking up slots that could have been used for individual load.
The group need to pack rations. One day of rations for a group of three to five people adds one load. Create a ration clock to represent how many days of rations the group has.
Traveling gear is what's needed to make camp and maintain equipment. You don't need to bring travel gear, but most would if they have to. Light travel gear count for one load for the group, which means easy preparation of food, as well as a water skin. This gives one extra die for rest. Basic travel gear count for three group load and include blankets, and adds two rest die. Full travel gear counts for one load per person, and means some pots and pans, a roll mat and blankets.
Rations still count as load, even after they're eaten, as it still took up place when you packed (though, if you pick up new stuff,you don't have to drop anything to make room of course.)
Animals have extra load. Riding animals may have Medium load, pack animals may have up to 10. More animals means more load.
You may resupply rations by stopping and doing a Hunt action.
Once they've deceided where to go, roll for the journey there. This deceides what happens on the way. Depending on what the characters know
Once the players choose a quest and provide its details, the GM cuts to the action—describing the scene as the group encounters their first obstacle. But how is this established? The way the GM describes the start of the journey can have a huge impact on how simple or troublesome it turns out to be. Rather than expecting the GM to simply “get it right” each time, we use a dice roll instead. This is the journey roll. The roll deceides how far they come before they meet their first challenge.
On 1-3: something happens in the first part of rhe journey, and they have to face a challenge in a Desperate starting position. Only one segment is filled. On 4-5: they get the effect, but run into trouble. On 6: they travel without issue and can choose what challenge they want to face in a Controlled starting position. On critical: as 6, but something good happens along the way,
The journey roll is a fortune roll, which deceides how far they come before they meet their first challenge. How that challenge looks depends on how risky the journey is, and how far they come depends on the effect.
Position: Journeys may be Controlled, Risky or Desperate. This depends largely on the territority one journeys trough. Are there allies or enemies there? Does the characters know the area? Do their people know this area or is it unknown lands? Is the nature wild and difficult to travel trough? Are there monsters there?
The time is also of essence, as they might be in a rush to reach the goal before something bad happens, which may make it more risky. The players may trade effect
Effect: With limited effect, fill out one segment in the quest clock. The journey will be longer and they will meet a challenge early on. With standard effect, fill out two segments
The journey roll is a fortune roll, which deceides how far they come . Consider the following: What territory are they travelling trough? Are there known enemies theere
- Is this quest particularly bold or daring? Take +1d. Is this operation overly complex or contingent on many factors? Take -1d. Does the plan’s detail expose a vulnerability of the target or hit them where they’re weakest? Take +1d. Is the target strongest against this approach, or do they have particular defenses or special preparations? Take -1d. Can any of your friends or contacts provide aid or insight for this operation? Take +1d. Are any enemies or rivals interfering in the operation? Take -1d. Are there any other elements that you want to consider? Maybe a lower-Tier target will give you +1d. Maybe a higher-Tier target will give you -1d. Maybe there’s a situation in the district that makes the operation more or less tricky.
The engagement roll assumes that the PCs are approaching the target as intelligently as they can, given the plan and detail they provided, so we don’t need to play out tentative probing maneuvers, special precautions, or other ponderous non-action. The engagement roll covers all of that. The PCs are already in action, facing the first obstacle—up on the rooftop, picking the lock on the window; kicking down the door of the rival gang’s lair; maneuvering to speak with a Lord at the masquerade party; etc.
Don’t make the engagement roll and then describe the PCs approaching the target. It’s the approach that the engagement roll resolves. Cut to the action that results because of that initial approach—to the first serious obstacle in their path.