Time and Movement

Time

Within the game, time passes as is convenient for play. If the characters are simply waiting for whatever reason, then the Referee can say, “Two days pass,” or whatever is needed. If nothing of importance happens, then players merely mark off their characters’ food supplies or upkeep costs as appropriate, and handle any other business that occurs during that time.

There are periods when keeping a strict record of time is important. Most measures of time are self-explanatory in the rules, as they match our real measurements of time. However, there are three units of time that have special meaning in the game.

The “Turn” is ten minutes long. This is often used as a measure of time for spell durations and underground exploring.

The “Round” is ten seconds long. This is primarily used for time management during combat and for the duration of combat-oriented spells.

Encumbrance

A character’s movement rate is determined by how much gear he is carrying, or how much he is encumbered. In the strictest sense, this should be determined by adding up the weight of all the gear that a character is carrying. Realistically, no one keeps track of such things during a game. However, the Referee has the authority to call an audit of a character’s inventory at any time, so each player should make sure that their character is carrying a reasonable amount of equipment and that all of the equipment fits somewhere on the character or in a pack. Worn items, such as cloaks, jewelry, backpacks, etc., do not themselves count as items for encumbrance purposes. Carried sacks full of stuff count as an oversize item. 100 coins count as one regular item.

Very small single items do not count for encumbrance purposes. Multiple small items of the same type (spikes, arrows, etc.) count as one item. Worn clothing, armor, and jewelry do not count for encumbrance purposes. All weapons count as separate items. Oversize items are counted separately. Such items include great and other two handed weapons, and any item that requires two hands to carry or is as tall as the carrying character.

Movement

Character's on-foot speed depends on the Encumbrance. Any group of Characters moves at the speed of the slowest group member.

Mounts

If an animal is pulling a cart or other vehicle, the load of the vehicle (as per this scheme) is applied to the animal as well. Multiple mounts pulling a vehicle divide the total encumbrance points between them. Mounts' Encumbrance is determined as follows:

Mules subtract five points from their encumbrance load, but move at half the listed speeds. Ponies move at the listed speeds, but automatically start with 6 points of Encumbrance. All per-day travel distances include periodic rests. Characters apply their Constitution modifier to their per-day travel distance on foot. The movement rates shown on the table above are figured based on an 8 hour day of travel on open road. The terrain type will alter the rate somewhat, as shown the table below. Bad weather also affects travel.

Characters can choose to perform a forced march, traveling 12 hours per day. If this is done, add an additional 50% to the distance traveled. Each day of forced march performed after the first inflicts 1d6 damage on the characters, and also inflicts this damage on animals from the first day. An animal that suffers 5 or 6 points of damage in this manner dies at the end of a day’s journey.

Excavations

A single man can excavate 3 cubic feet of earth per hour if they have proper equipment (Strength modifiers apply to the number of cubic feet). They can dig at half of this rate if they have improvised tools, and one quarter of this rate if they have no tools at all.