In this scenario The Party is moving through wilderness on their way to a frontier town where they seek adventure.
GM: Ok, so you waded through a river and are soaked, it's also March in the northern hemisphere.
Guy (Sir Vancierge): Well its not like we could all tightrope across on my silk rope, since apparently NO ONE else brought any rope.
Chuck (Abraham): I have Acrobat, what do I need a rope for normally?
Guy (Sir Vancierge): Not getting soaked to the bone in March in the middle of the woods?
Tom (Jack): Eh, its not like any number of ropes we could bring would support Thaugo.
Kim (Thaugo): So we'll switch into dryer clothes and then continue a force march to make it to town for the night.
GM: Does anyone have extra clothes on their character sheet?
A notable silence ensues
GM: So being soaking wet as the sun sets in March is going to be suicidal terrain as it will be notably below freezing.
Kim (Thaugo): So I guess we'll camp in the nearest spot that looks like it will provide any shelter, is there like a cave or an overhang or anything?
GM: Maybe, you are in a forest so it's possible. Someone with a camping skill roll a repeating luck die. A 4 or more will get you like a big downed tree or something and an 8 will get you like a rock overhang.
Kim (Thaugo): I have hunting?
GM: Ehhh... that doesn't automatically mean you have skills in camping though, a peasant hunter might have both skills but a noble wouldn't, they are different skill sets even if most people have both.
Julia (Brother Cadmus): I have rough sleeping and pilgrim routes, surely that covers finding shelter when sleeping outside.
GM: It does, so roll a repeating luck die to see if there is anything right nearby.
Julia (Brother Cadmus): Ok I roll a d6 and get a 6, its repeating right?
GM: Ya, in case you get really lucky, you get like 20 and maybe you find an empty cabin in the woods...
Kim (Thaugo): Nope, not playing that adventure again
Julia (Brother Cadmus): Ok, I get a 1, shit.
Chuck (Abraham): But you are in a state of grace and are blessed right? that is a +1 to 8.
Julia (Brother Cadmus): Ok, so 8, that means we find like an overhang right?
GM: Ya, there is a big rock that gives you a lot of cover from any potential wind, and from sleet too unless its a big storm. Does anyone have a way to start a fire?
Julia (Brother Cadmus): I have the arson skill
GM: Do you have a tinderbox or flint and steel or anything?
Kim (Thaugo): I have a firebow
GM: Ok, so you can start a small fire of like bark scrapings and the odd twig, but if you want a big enough fire to dry your clothes you'll need to gather actual firewood. Which means wandering the woods cold, wet, and in the setting sun.
Kim (Thaugo): I am giant, can't I just rip a limb or two off a nearby tree?
GM: Yes, it will make a lot of noise which may make things come looking for you if there is anything hostile, they will also probably be green and burn poorly until you get a fire going hot enough.
Chuck (Abraham): We are already going to be lighting a big fire, screw the noise. I have an oil lantern, can we use its oil to get the fire going hot enough to ignore the green wood problem.
GM: Sure, it will be a smokey fire and you'll empty out your lantern but it can work, especially with a trained arsonist with a bunch of leaves and twigs and stuff as well.
Guy (Sir Vancierge): Ok, so we can finally dry our clothes and rest now right?
GM: Does anyone have a tent, or even a blanket to sleep on?
Guy (Sir Vancierge): Even better! I have the best sleeping gear in the world.
GM: Huh?
Guy (Sir Vancierge): I have a backpack
GM: A backpack, especially one full of adventuring gear, is not a good sleep option
Guy (Sir Vancierge): It is if you have the right skill, I have Siegecraft which means I am a former soldier, and I assure you that any soldier can fall right asleep on his pack with but a moment's notice.
GM: Sure, anyone else?
Julia (Brother Cadmus): I have rough sleeping so I should be fine
Kim (Thaugo): My light armour is specifically written as heavy furs, so I am going to use those as a blanket.
GM: That will be a bit cold, but better than nothing.
Chuck (Abraham): I have a cloak I guess?
GM: That is better than nothing, but still shit. Also it's soaked.
Chuck (Abraham): But it's probably wool and therefore still keeps warm when wet
GM: Ok, but it's also extra heavy when wet in the future then. Note it as a dark wool cloak.
Tom (Jack): I have a blue cape?
GM: That is barely better than nothing, and as it's wet and definitely not heavy wool it's probably worse than nothing until it's dry. This leaves watch structure, standard three watches?
Guy (Sir Vancierge): Split into teams of two? How many different angles can people sneak up on us from?
GM: You've got shelter, so just from the one direction... or I suppose something flying or a giant spider might come from above over the lip of your shelter.
Chuck (Abraham): I have the Scout power and the best stealth so I can take the lone watch.
Kim (Thaugo): I am size two, so I'll be terrible at this. Second best should be on my watch.
Julia (Brother Cadmus): I think that is Jack
Tom (Jack): Ya, I got +2 Stealth.
GM: Ok, so it's Abraham, then Van and Cadmus, then Jack and Thaugo right?
Heads nod in agreement
GM: Ok, everyone is still calm right?
More nodding
GM: Ok, tell me what your detection roll is while calm then. Unless you choose to be on edge or reckless, anything approaching you will move up until they need to start rolling based on light and distance. The campfire will make 10 light and it will be 5 darkness at night as it's not a full moon. So the area with the fire is brightly lit, an area away has half as much light which brings it to 0 darkness. Half again 2 areas away is 2 light and thus 3 darkness. 4 areas away the light is halved again to be 1 light and thus 4 darkness. Beyond that is 5 darkness from the night. Each area away is a -1 penalty to detection rolls, this stacks with the penalty for darkness.
Kim (Thaugo): So Thaugo has a stealth of +2..
Guy (Sir Vancierge): I thought you said you were terrible at keeping watch?
Kim (Thaugo): I can spot alright, but I am size 2 so I am dividing the suspicion I cause by 2. It's equal but opposite to how effective I am at doing damage based on my size. I am the stealth equivalent of a halfling warrior.
GM: So if Thaugo has a stealth of +2. While calm Thaugo is scoring a 12 in the same area, 11 in the next area which is still well lit, 7 in the area beyond that with its dim light, 5 at the very edge of the firelight and then 3 in the first area of the darkness... dropping an additional 1 each area out. The math works out the same for Jack as he has the same bonus.
Guy (Sir Vancierge): +0, so 10 base
Chuck (Abraham):+5 so 15 base
Julia (Brother Cadmus): +1, so 11 base.
Kim (Thaugo): Bless
Julia (Brother Cadmus): oh! 12 base.
Kim (Thaguo): Actually, I am going to bless myself for my watch too, giving me an extra +1.
GM: And does anyone want to be reckless or on edge? high chance you'll be able to spot something sooner if you're paranoid
*the table shakes their heads no
GM: Ok, let me see if anything is drawn to your fire or to the sound of limbs being snapped from trees.
The GM rolls on a table and sees an encounter, then determines which watch it will be under at random. The encounter is a thieving raccoon at Thaugo and Jack's watch.
The raccoon has an evasion bonus of +2, 1 for its high perception and 1 for being completely unencumbered. This gives it an evasion of 12 while calm. As neither Thaugo nor Jack are 'on edge' nor 'reckless' they can't possibly spot the creature while it is calm until it enters the same area as them, in which case a blessed Thaugo could force it to roll if it wanted to be hidden. The GM then deliberates if the raccoon should automatically be calm or not? perhaps it has had a hard day running from predators or fighting a rival? The GM rolls a d6 and decides that on a 1 or 2 it is calm, a 3 or 4 it is on edge, and on a 5 or 6 it is reckless. The GM rolls a 2. It is calm.
Noting this the GM starts the creature in the area around the campfire. He rolls randomly, and decides its going to root through Sir Vancierge's things for food.
GM: The first two watches go smoothly, roll initiative for Thaugo and Jack.
Tom (Jack): What are we fighting?
GM: Maybe nothing, initiative doesn't have to mean physical combat.
Kim (Thaugo): 3 total, that is including my bless. I rolled Agility.
Tom (Jack): 6, also Agility.
The GM rolls a 4 for the Raccoon
GM: so Thaugo, you are up first. Nothing special at this particular moment.
Kim (Thaugo): Ok...I keep on keeping watching?
GM: Still calm?
Kim (Thaugo): Ya
The GM decides the raccoon will stay calm
GM: Ok, a hit not critical.
Kim (Thaugo): Oh, ok I roll my Perception Die repeating, and add a +1 for bless. I cause 4 suspicion.
The GM does the math, the Raccoon is size 1/5th and Thaugo is size 2, and so divides the 4 suspicion by 10 and rounds it down to 0.
GM: You have a vague unease, something is out there but you don't know what and you can't see it yet. The thing goes next. Can I see Sir Vancierge's sheet?
Guy (Sir Vancierge): Can I make a detection roll to notice what is going on?
GM: Nope, you are asleep. You have no actions.
The GM looks over Sir Vancierge's sheet and decides the raccoon is going to try to steal his loaf of bread. The GM rolls a d4 and doesn't say why. This is to make a search check using the item container rules. It takes ?d4 actions to root through the backpack and steal the bread.
GM: Ok, its to Jack
Tom (Jack): Can I wake the party?
GM: You can sure, but then they don't get the benefit of the night's sleep and will be exhausted tomorrow. It's an action to wake a party member discretely or you can scream and holler and wake em all up.
Tom (Jack): We'll they won't get the benefit of a nights sleep if we all die in a raid either
GM: totally, this could be a tpk, anything could be out there in the dark
Kim (Thaugo): Or it could be Jonesy
Tom (Jack): Who?
Kim (Thaugo): The cat in Alien that sets off the false alarm on the motion sensor.
Tom (Jack): Why would a cat attack us?
Kim (Thaugo): Who says it would? Could be there to get us to waste resources on a snipe hunt
Tom (Jack): If you don't chase down a sniper it will kill you all
Guy (Sir Vancierge): Did you not have a childhood of any sort? It's a wild goose chase
Julia (Brother Cadmus): If you don't deal with a goose it will..
Chuck (Abraham): Enough with that fucking game!
GM: So are you waking the party or not?
Tom (Jack): No I will spot it, it just took some suspicion so I should be able to hit it. I stay calm and detect, actually.. I turn it into a "Dramatic Pause"
GM: Which is Doubling Down, the equivalent Combat's "Power Attack" except in stealth. But you miss. Initiative again.
Tom (Jack): 1
Kim (Thaugo): 5
The GM rolls for the Raccoon and gets a 6
GM: Tom, Jack goes first.
Tom (Jack): Ok, I try to spot and I'll roll 3d6 as I'll go a bit reckless... I get 10+2... well that was a waste. My other action is the default of defending myself.
GM: You don't see anything. Kim, Thaugo is up next.
Kim (Thaugo): I stay calm and look about, 13.
GM: Hit not critical.
Kim (Thaugo): I suspect this is an animal, so I want to use my hunting skill on my perception die. I roll a 5 and add +1 for bless and maybe another +1 for hunting.
Due to the division of 5 for the animals size and the further division by 2 for Thaugo's size, this still deals 0 suspicion.
GM: Ok, noted, still can't see anything specific... its just the uneasy quiet that unsettles you. Perhaps its just the wind?
The GM rolls a d4 again and gets a 4. This means the Raccoon has gotten the bread it seeks. As the bread is 1 dot for a human, that means it is 5 dot for the raccoon. The raccoon isn't unusually strong for its size so in carrying it, it is no longer under encumbered. Its evasion lowers by 1.
GM: Initiatives?
Kim (Thaugo): 2
Tom (Jack): 6
The GM rolls for the Raccoon and gets 4.
GM: Thaugo is up.
Kim (Thaugo): I keep looking I guess? 13 again.
GM: Hit, not critical..
Kim (Thaugo): I am very sure it must be an animal, and a small one. I roll my repeating d6 and get 6! and then a 5! with my bonus for bless and hunting that is a 13 total.
GM: Ok, you get the vague sense of something moving in the grass nearby. Jack is next.
Tom (Jack): I look too, I am on edge so I get a total of 16!
The GM decides the Raccoon will become reckless as its trying to escape. The GM rolls a 20 and gets an 11. There is a -1 penalty for suspicion and a +1 bonus for Stealth, for a total of 11.
GM: You don't have a helmet right?
Tom (Jack): Nope
GM: Then you beat the evasion by 5, critical hit.
Tom (Jack): I am going to double the result. I roll my perception die and get a 7, doubled is 14.
The GM divides the result by 5 (the Raccoon is 1/5th human size), and so Jack scores 2 more suspicion. The Raccoon has 10 agility so it isn't caught yet.
GM: Ya, there is definitely something in the grass nearby you can hear rustling from somewhere.
The GM decides the second action of the Raccoon this round is to move an area further away to abscond with the bread.
GM: Initiative again
Tom (Jack): 3
Kim (Thaugo): 3, or 4 if I can use my hunting skill because I'll be trying to spot an animal in the woods.
GM: It could be a person
Kim (Thaugo): The most dangerous game...
GM: Ya sure then, so 4 initiative but you have to doing something hunting related for an action then.
The GM rolls a 5 for the Raccoon.
GM: Jack is up
Tom (Jack): Ok, I roll 3d6 and add 2 for a total of 15.
The GM rolls a d20 and gets 8, adds +1 for stealth and -3 for suspicion for a total of 6. Even with the extra -1 penalty for range it is still a critical hit.
GM: Ok, Critical hit again.
Tom (Jack): Doubling it again, so 5 times 2 is 10 suspicion.
The GM divides this by 5 for a total of 2. This brings the Raccoon up to 5 suspicion, which is halfway to its 10 agility. If it takes even 1 more point of suspicion it will be unable to move without automatically being spotted.
GM: Up next is Thaugo
Kim (Thaugo): Still calm, so 13.
The GM rolls the evasion for the Raccoon on a d20 and rolls a 7, with the 5 penalty for suspicion, the stealth bonus of +1 and distance of 1 aren't enough to stop this from being a critical.
GM: Critical hit
Kim (Thaugo): I double the result, and roll a 3 with a +1 for bless and a +1 for hunting. For a 5 doubled to 10.
The GM divides this by 5 for the Raccoons size and again by 2 for Thaugo's size, but it still ends up dealing 1 suspicion.
GM: Up next is the creature, which has taken more than half suspicion so you see it as it moves with its action. Its a raccoon with a loaf of bread that is heading into the darkness.
Guy (Sir Vancierge): I am pretty sure I am the only one who brought food with us
GM: Man, you guys do not prepare for travel like at all. No rope, no tents, no food...
Tom (Jack): Assuming its initiative I am on a 7.
GM: Ok, sure, the Raccoon is on a 5.
Kim (Thaugo): I am on a 2.
GM: Ok, Thaugo first.
Kim (Thaugo): Can I attack it?
GM: Ranged weapon sure, its two areas away your javelin could harm it.
Kim (Thaugo): So I spend 1 action to draw my Javelin and 1 to throw it.
GM: Ok, so its a -2 penalty for range and a -3 for darkness.
Kim (Thaugo): I get +2 for a throwing weapon and my combat is 0. I calmly throw it at a 7.
GM: It's reckless and I got an 18 on its defense roll, so as it bounds through the grass and bushes your javelin goes wild. It goes next, its already defending itself so its action is to move further away, it will do so at the end of the round.
Tom (Jack): I fire my bow at it
GM: You need to draw and load your bow
Tom (Jack): I am keeping watch, surely I have my bow out with an arrow knocked. I am an archer.
GM: Ok, sure, whatever
Tom (Jack): I roll 3d6 and get a 9 with a +2 combat for 11.
GM: -5 for range and darkness is 6 total. The Raccoon defends and gets a 7. Your shot also goes wild. At the end of the round it moves into the next area at the very edges of the firelight, it's at 4 darkness now.
Kim (Thaugo): I could launch an orb of fire? It won't have a saving throw
Tom (Jack): I think that might incinerate the bread
Kim (Thaugo): Its not about the recovery, its about spiting that damn thief
Chuck (Abraham): Woah Woah Woah, look I agree with killing the Raccoon but we also need to recover our stolen goods. To hell with this current adventure about some stupid princess being kidnapped for sacrifice with some dumb ritual, wake the party for our new adventure...
Guy (Sir Vancierge): The quest to recover the stolen bread from the masked bandit!
The GM sighs. This is going to be a thing. This is going to be the whole night's game now, he can just feel it.
GM: Ok, but lets not forget the terrible shape you are in, this will be ridiculously dangerous to go chasing a raccoon through the woods at night when you are wet in the subzero temperatures and only half a night's sleep for most of you.
Julia (Brother Cadmus): Ya, we are going to get so much awesomeness for this, which is good as we need to replenish our fate supply after that last showdown with the Necromancer.