The next adventure

Downtime ends with the next adventure, which might be an expedition or a crisis, and either spontaneous or prepped in advance.

Expeditions involve the PCs making preparations, traveling towards a destination, having encounters, facing challenges, and eventually going home.

The PCs can always choose to launch an expedition, but they'll most often do so in response to a hook—some threat, opportunity, or requirement that you present to them, as the result of a player move or just because that's the GM move you chose to make.

Should the PCs propose an ill-conceived expedition, then push back. Remind them of their obligations. They have chores to do and obligations around town. Tell them consequences/requirements. Encourage them to wait for a hook or to seek one out.

After the PCs' first adventure, Rhianna wants to hunt down the crinwin that had been serving the swyn. "I know they were enthralled," she says, "but they're still a danger to us."

The crinwin scattered after the swyn's death, and I don't see how such a hunt would succeed. "Even if you went back to the tomb," I say, "you couldn't really track them—they're arboreal. You could spend a few days or weeks scouring the woods for signs, but without a solid lead you'd just be wasting time."

Expeditions should involve all the PCs, or at least have the blessing of all the players who are present. If only some of the group wants to go on an expedition, then you might…

• ... split the party, where some of the PCs go on the expedition while others work on projects at home;
• ... talk it out in-character, perhaps with PCs Persuading each other;
• ... discuss player-to-player how you all want to spend your game time, and what would be the most fun, and try to reach a consensus; or
• ... some combination of the above.

If you do split the party, make sure the PCs staying behind have interesting and meaningful things to do on-screen. Or plan the trip for a session they'll miss.

At the end of our last session, the Seasons Changed to autumn, Vahid got a 7-9, and I prepared a threat that I expected to kick off our next adventure.

Alas, Rhianna's player has to miss the next session, last minute. Rather than reschedule, Vahid's player suggests a quick, early-autumn trip to the Ruined Tower. "Just to explore the upper level, see if we can find any loot." It's a short trip and doesn't disrupt my plans at all, so I'm game. So is Caradoc. Blodwen's uninterested, but she's fine with staying home. She's got a mother to confront.

Vahid and Caradoc make preparations. I ask Caradoc how he tells Morwenna about this, which leads to a scene where she's not happy but Caradoc doesn't even notice. Then the two PCs head out!