Expeditions

The characters decide to leave town. Maybe you've presented a threat and they're off to deal with it. Maybe you've dangled an opportunity and they want to seize it. Maybe they have plans of their own, something they want to accomplish, and it involves leaving home. It's time for an expedition.

Before the players leave town and head out into the wild, they'll make preparations: they'll Chart a Course, Outfit, and maybe Requisition, and do whatever else they need to do before leaving home.

Once they're ready, they'll head out. You'll establish new situations as they move from place to place, make soft GM moves to prompt decisions and introduce challenges, and ask them, "What do you do?" You'll resolve the PCs' actions, using the basic player moves and the expedition moves (described later in this chapter).

They'll eventually move on. You'll transition to the next landmark or challenge. You'll establish the situation there and repeat the process.

They might reach their destination with ease. Or, they might get lost. They might encounter something that distracts them from their goal. They might get beaten up so badly that they turn back and head home in defeat. It's all good—play to find out what happens.

Travel is an important part of Stonetop. It's a chance to flesh out and explore the wider world. It's dangerous and hard, which reinforces the importance of home and its relative safety. Travel isn't something to gloss over. Give it the screen time it deserves!