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This game is made of four different phases of play. These phases track time and resources differently but are interwoven so that each one affects the other. The different phases of play are: Travel, Exploration, Conflict, and Rest. As a referee, it may help to be explicit about which phase the game is currently in to start. Do not be surprised if the idea of phases fades into the background once everyone becomes more familiar with the procedures of each phase.
The Travel phase begins once the player characters leave the other three phases, it is the closest thing to a default phase that Pilgrim’s Passages has. During Travel, players will be making decisions about routes to take, random encounters on the road, and role playing/problem solving through encounters of the road.
Every time a character moves from one hex to another, the character must make a Traveling roll to determine if they must exhaust a Stamina Die. The involved characters can use any relevant item dice, but only one Stamina die. If they succeed on the roll, the rolled Stamina Die is not exhausted. If they fail, that Stamina Die is exhausted.
After the characters complete their Stamina Roll, the referee should check for a random encounter. By default the chance of an encounter is 1:6.
Every time characters cross an elevation line, or change elevation, on their chosen course they must spend 1 Stamina.
Characters will encounter different situations on their travels. These travels will require problem solving and, when that fails, rolling dice. Always start with problem solving though.
Once characters reach a location that is mysterious and/or dangerous they enter Exploration. Exploration does not have to involve a map, but often does. Typical maps are a 5 foot grid map of dungeons and other more old school locations. During Exploration characters can act without limitations as long as it is within the same room/area.
Once a character, or group of characters, passes from one room/area to another the referee should check for a random encounter.
Light sources are tracked by the number of rooms the carrying character moves through or until the end of the next Rest whichever happens first. Every light source has a different duration of time it lasts, add the item’s Grade to its total duration.
When two separate parties have conflicting goals those characters enter Conflict. The Conflict phase lasts until one or both parties no longer wish to continue or cannot continue.
The scale of Conflicts can be as large or small as needed. If you would like to do tactical grid-based combat for a conflict you can or you can moderate a debate between two houses.
Every character gets a turn while in Conflict. During a turn they may perform one Action. Initiative is the order characters take their turns while in the Conflict phase. Determine the initiative by ordering the characters from highest current Stamina to lowest. The characters with the highest Stamina take their turn first then continue in descending order. Reestablish initiative every new round of Conflict. A new Round begins once all characters have taken a turn.
Conflict is inherently high pressure there is no time to eat a meal. Characters cannot recover Stamina via eating during Conflict.
During Conflict, a Character can choose to spend an Action to regain 1 Stamina.
Rest takes place any time the player characters are not in Conflict and choose to enter Rest. Crafting they like up until they all decide to go to sleep and recover Stamina.
It is not required that you be in Rest to Craft but it tends to be when the crafting happens. Crafting is a great way to spend excess Stamina before the end of the day.
At the end of Rest all characters involved sleep and regain an amount of Stamina equal to 1 + any relevant Justifications.
After characters have recovered Stamina, the current narrative day ends and the next day begins.
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